Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Ancient World: Roman (29)

Roman bronze eagle standing with outspread wings on the head of an antelope. The eagle is modeled in the round, tail and wing feathers are engraved. The head of the prey is worked as an attachment.
The eagle on the antelope head is associated to the worship of Jupiter Dolichenus, whose syncretic mystery cult was widespread among Roman soldiers since the time of Vespasian.
Publication record: Sonderliste V, December 1985 sale catalogue, lot no. 40...

The rim is decorated with facing Oceanus heads alternating with fishes. The finely rendered heads show bushy beards extending to both sides and goat-like ears. The lobster claws expected in the hair of Oceanus are mistakenly rendered as ram horns, the usual attribute for Zeus Ammon.
Fine bowl on a low ring base, the floor with a concentric groove on the bottom, the flat rim with a fine groove around the outer edge.
Ceramic
Roman, North Africa, 350-400 AD
D...

Amber colored glass jug with flared rim folded over on the sides and tooled into a trefoil shape.
The cylindrical neck widening towards the bulbous body with round bottom.
The rod handle applied as a pad to the edge of shoulder, drawn up and slightly outwards, then turned down and in, and trailed onto back of rim.
Translucent amber glass, handle slightly darker.
Glass, blown
Roman, 2nd-3rd century AD
H. 10 cm
Intact and fine...

Pear-shaped flask decorated with concentric circles and cross-hatched diamonds on the body.
The tubular neck with folded rim was applied separately. Slightly pushed-in base with traces of a pontil mark.
Glass of dull amber in color with patches of iridescence.
Glass
Roman, Eastern Mediterranean, 3rd-4th century AD
H. 13 cm (5.1 in)
Intact...

Large and well-designed Roman lamp with the planta pedis impressed on the base.
Bailey type G, Deneauve type VG lamp, characterized by bow-shaped lug handles on each side of the body. The concave discus with a central filling hole; the air hole pierced near the nozzle channel.
The outer side with relief decoration towards the nozzle. The flat base marked off by circular grooves...

Large North African red-ware fragment depicting a leaping panther with detailed head and fearsome paws.
Excellent modeling of the musculature and great coat pattern rendered with small circles. On the other end a hound chasing a sheep or goat.
The fragment belongs to the rim of a lanx, a larger and rather rare rectangular platter. The outer edge is decorated with a beaded pattern.
For a panther from a matching mould, cf. fig. 12, p. 418 in: Annewies van den Hoek...

Bust of a young male figure with pleasant expression. The face shows large lidded eyes, a prominent nose and sensuous lips. Venus rings on the neck.
The hair is textured with short sickle-shaped curls and topped by a stippled wreath with ribbons that run along the shoulders.
The boy is dressed in a skin tight robe. Belly button indicated.
The wreath suggests a Dionysian context. The figure possibly depicts the youthful Bacchus.
Hard fired ceramic with greyish core...

The Eros child emerging from a flower, showing very expressive features such as an exaggeratedly long fore and upper head. Small hole on the chest for attachment.
Bronze
Roman, 2nd/3rd century AD
H. 3.8 cm (1.5 in)
H. with stand 5.2 cm (2 in)
High quality bronze with superb patina.
Ex Swiss private collection.

The authenticity of the object is unconditionally guaranteed

Free blown light green glass amphoriskos showing a tall cylindrical neck decorated with spiral trails.
Two rod handles applied to the edge of the shoulder.
The flared mouth with inward folded rim. The slightly concave base with a pontil scar.
Glass
Roman, Eastern Mediterranean, 3rd-4th century AD
H. 6 cm (2.4 in)
Intact with layers of silvery iridescence.
Swiss private collection Edgar A. Mills, prior to 1956...

Rare bag-shaped glass vessel with a rod handle arching over the flared rim. The shoulder decorated with spiral trails. The concave base with a pontil scar.
Semi-transparent light green glass with layers of silvery iridescence.
Glass
Roman, Eastern Mediterranean, 3rd-4th century AD
H. 6.6 cm (2.6 in)
Intact and fine. Rare shape.
Swiss private collection Edgar A. Mills, prior to 1956...

Choice red-ware rim fragment featuring a beautifully detailed lion. The feline approaches with a forward-turned front body. The head with delicate detail and a shaggy mane. Shaggy strands on the elbow joint. Excellent modeling of the musculature and great rendering of the panther-like fur pattern depicted with tiny circles. For almost the same lion on an Orpheus bowl, cf. 1981.658 in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. For a discussion of the bowl, cf. pp. 230-231, pl. 32 in: Annewies van den ...

Discus fragment of a lamp decorated with the half-figure of a satyr holding a thyrsus and blowing a flute. The youthful figure wears a deer skin with the hooves of the animal knotted behind his shoulder.
Rare depiction. Detailed rendering of the head and the anatomical details. Covered with an orange-brown slip.
For a related example, cf. Q3250 in the British Museum database.
According to Bailey, the lamp was probably designed as a pair together with Q3292 (pp. 9-10 and p. 4...

Translucent, pale green glass with seven vertical ribs along the piriform body.
Small constriction at the join to the cylindrical neck. The flared mouth with inward folded rim. Standing on a rounded base.
The surface with areas of silvery iridescence.
Similar bottles are commonly found in Roman Period funerary contexts and sometimes referred to as lacrimaria – tear containers.
Other denominations like unguentaria (oil container) or balsamaria (balsam container) ref...

Roman red-ware fragment of a lamp with a partially preserved horse on the discus.
The animal head with flared nostrils, open mouth and bare teeth. The big eye with eyelashes, the ears laid back. Mane and tail hatched.
Trappings around the neck and the croup decorated with tiny dots. On the croup a swastika with dots in the interstices, possibly a brand.
The checkerboard panels on the shoulder frame resemble Ennably A10, the targets with diamonds inside are close to Ennably ...

Roman fragment with a tabula ansata inscribed DOMIN[A] VICTOR[IA], an acclamation translatable as “Lady, victory (is yours)!”
The inscription is connected to Saint Thecla, whose upper arm and blurred hand appear below.
Saint Thecla was a companion of Saint Paul, and an important figure in the Christian imagery of Roman North Africa. She enjoyed great popularity during the Byzantine period.
Ceramic
Roman, North Africa, 350-430 AD
H. 7.1 cm (2.8 in)
W...

Fine bowl on a low ring base, the floor with two concentric grooves. The inside of the rim with steps along a central ridge. Eight groups of notches on the lip. Thin smoothed slip.
Shape form 71A – Hayes 1101-1102 – fig. 34, pl.55, pp. 227-228 in: John W. Hayes. Roman Pottery and Fine-Ware Imports. The Athenian Agora. Vol. 32. Princeton 2008.
Ceramic
Roman, North Africa, 375-400 AD
D. 15.3 cm (6 in)
H. 4.7 cm (1.9 in)
Intact. Pockmarked surface with ...

Rare moldmade lamp decorated with two dolphins and a rosette on the rounded shoulder.
Central filling hole. The broad-tipped nozzle ends in small volutes close to the discus ring.
The base with two raised rings. Surface partially covered with a red-brown glaze.
Near to Loeschcke type II.
For an almost identical example, cf. lamp no. 512 (inv. no. 83.AQ.377.553), p. 370 in: Jean Bussière and Birgitta Lindros Wohl. Ancient Lamps in the J. Paul Getty Museum. Los Angele...

Fine red slip ware bowl on a low ring base, the flat floor offset from the steep wall by a groove.
The flat rim with a fine groove around the outer edge. All covered by a thin smoothed slip.
Roman African red slip ware pottery is characterized by an orange color and a shiny surface.
By the third century AD, fine African red slip pottery wares became the most popular type of tableware in the Roman Empire.
Ceramic
Roman, North Africa, 375-400 AD
D. 16 cm ...