| Roman Antiquities |  |
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| Roman (Nemausus?), Bronze Phallic Amulet, 2nd Century A.D. |   | From the collection of Alex G. Malloy, former dealer in antiquities for 40 years.
"The Worship of the Generative Powers" by Thomas Wright (1866) discusses phallic worship, which appears to have flourished across the Empire, especially at Nemausus, modern Nimes in the south of France. At Nemausus the symbols of this worship appeared in bizzare fanciful sculptures on the walls of its amphitheater and on other buildings. An engraving from Wright's book depicts a Roman bas relief found on a monument at Nimes in 1825. Click here to see the image, in which the penis forms the tail of a crested bird who sits upon a nest of egg-like vulvas. Perhaps our amulet is related to the worship at Nemausus? |
| AS36085. Bronze erotic phallic amulet; 4 cm long; male figure (a squirrel?), arms together out front, standing on large erect phallus (the squirrel's tail?), Superb, very strange!; of greatest rarity; $1470.00 (€1131.90) |
| Roman Bronze Vessel Handle, Ornamented With Bacchus and a Panther, c. 1st Century A.D. |  | The Panther was the companion of Bacchus. The grapevine and its wild barren alter-ego, the toxic ivy plant, were both sacred to him. This handle was once attached to vessel used for serving or drinking wine. |
| AI30971. height 8.0 cm (3"), excellent condition with a nice green patina, bronze vessel handle ornamented with a facing young head of Bacchus wearing an ivy wreath in his long flowing hair, panther skin tied at neck, the curving handle ends with a panther head; $1305.00 (€1004.85) |
| Roman Republic, Bronze Askos Pitcher, 1st Century B.C. |  | From the collection of Alex G. Malloy, former dealer in antiquities for 40 years.
An askos is an assymetric vessel imitating the shape of a leather wine-skin, with an off-center mouth, convex top, and single arching handle. |
| AY36080. Bronze askos; cf. Hayes ROM 112-113, MFA Boston, Comstock/Vermeule 470-1, 9.6 cm high, long projecting spout pinched at sides, handle with vegetable decoration at ends, spherical body, short pedestal base; mounted on wood base, complete, handle reconstructed; $1200.00 (€924.00) |
| Roman Greece, Barbotine Ware Amphora, 2nd Century A.D. |  | From the collection of Alex G. Malloy, former dealer in antiquities for 40 years.
Barbotine is French for a ceramic slip, a mixture of clay and water used for decorating pottery. In English the term is used for two different techniques but here we are only concerned with the technique used in the ancient world. Barbotine is piped onto the object much like cakes are decorated with icing, using a quill, horn, or another kind of nozzle. The slip is often a color contrasting with rest of the vessel and forms a design, a pattern, or inscription, that is raised above the main surface. The Egyptians used barbotine decorative designs. Specimens have also been found at Minoan Knossos on the island of Crete.
This example was found near Corinth. The style is certainly related to the Egyptian Barbotine ware but it may have been made in mainland Greece.
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| AE36060. Barbotine ware amphora, Athenian Agora -, ROM -; 5 ½ inches high, Collectible condition, buff clay, ovoid body, wide tubular neck, strap handles, horizontal bands on neck, Barbatine rows of leaf shaped decorations on body; reconstructed, one section of rim, a small shoulder and part of one handle restored; rare; $1045.00 (€804.65) |
| Roman, Bronze Repousse Plaque with Centaur Holding a Bow, Lorica Sqaumata Armor Plate(?), c. 1st - 3rd Century B.C. |  | Likely used in some legionary application; perhaps as a lorica squamata legionary armor plate segment. |
| AA59779. Roman, bronze repousse, 1.75 x 1.75 inches, c. 1st - 3rd century A.D.; sheet bronze hammered from behind in repousse technique to raise the figure of a centaur holding a bow, remains of two rivet holes where it was attached, tear on body, rare and interesting; from a New Jersey collection; $1000.00 (€770.00) |
| Roman, Small Sandstone Tetrarch Emperor Head, c. 285 - 337 A.D. |  | From the collection of Alex G. Malloy, former dealer in antiquities for 40 years. |
| AE36072. Grey sandstone head of Roman Emperor during the Tetrarchy; cf. Two Emperors of the Tetarchy, in the Vatican Library, 9 cm high and 7 cm, Diocletian or Maximianus, short forehead, short hair, expressive large eyes and high relief with double eyelids, portrait style exemplifies the militaristic period; worn but worthy of any fine collection; rare; $980.00 (€754.60) |
| Roman, Bronze Patera Handle, c. 1st - 3rd Century A.D. |  | A patera was a plate used by Roman priests to make sacrificial offerings to the Gods. Paterae were thin and most often have been lost to corrosion leaving only the handle remaining. |
| AA59776. Roman, bronze patera handle, c. 1st - 3rd century A.D., 5.6", heavy fluted handle terminating in a collar from which a ram's head with curled horns emerges; from a New Jersey collection; rare; $850.00 (€654.50) |
| Roman, Round Silver Appliqué, 1st - 2nd Century A.D. |  | ex Museo Nazionale di Villa Giulia, Rome de-acquisition, circa 1950’s, ex Ran Ryan, Rome 1974. From the collection of Alex G. Malloy, former dealer in antiquities for 40 years.
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| AI36082. Round silver appliqué; 5 cm diameter; flower of semi-circles swirled around a center dot in the center, Choice, framed by an inner dot circle and linear circle inner border, a wreath of two tendrils of leaves and berries around, and another dot circle and linear circle border outside the wreath; black toning; very rare; $550.00 (€423.50) |
| Roman, Round Silver Appliqué, 1st - 2nd Century A.D. |  | ex Museo Nazionale di Villa Giulia, Rome de-acquisition, circa 1950’s, ex Ran Ryan, Rome 1974. From the collection of Alex G. Malloy, former dealer in antiquities for 40 years.
A cabochon or cabachon, from the Middle French caboche (head), is a gemstone which has been shaped and polished as opposed to faceted. The resulting form is usually a convex top with a flat bottom (dome shape). |
| AI36083. Silver appliqué; 8.8 cm diameter, flat round center surrounded by a circle of two light blue glass, a clear crystal and four carnelian cabochons, Collectible condition, one stone missing, dark toning; probably the outer shell of a box lid; very rare; $550.00 (€423.50) |
| Egypt, Black Slate Dish, Hellenic - Roman Period, 1st Century B.C. - 1st Century A.D. |  | From the collection of Alex G. Malloy, former dealer in antiquities for 40 years.
This type of dish may have been used as a cosmetic pallet. |
| AE48734. Black slate dish; cf. Petrie, Stone & Metal Vases 972; four square protruding handles, 3 ½ inches diameter, Choice, ex Malloy, Egyptian Art & Artifacts, Summer 1980, 118; some chipping to edge, otherwise intact; $525.00 (€404.25) |
| Roman Bronze Herm Figural Chest Hasp, 1st - 3rd Century A.D. |  | See http://romanlocks.com/index.htm for similar hasps and an excellent website on Roman locks. |
| AB30962. Bronze chest hasp in the form of a youthful herm figure with nice facial features, length 11 cm (4 1/4"), excellent condition, bare chest, incised decorative band with modeled male genitalia adorns the midsection, hing loop at back of the top and lock bolt slot at the back of the base; $495.00 (€381.15) |
| Roman, Silver Jewelry Appliqué, 1st - 2nd Century A.D. |  | ex Museo Nazionale di Villa Giulia, Rome de-acquisition, circa 1950’s, ex Ran Ryan, Rome 1974. From the collection of Alex G. Malloy, former dealer in antiquities for 40 years.
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| AI36081. Silver plaque appliqué; 4 x 5 cm, Collectible condition, clear crystal or glass cabochon in the center surrounded by a circle of pierced dots, floret pattern of eight pierced dots to the left and right, ornate rim with a zigzag line with pierced dots in the angles; toned; very rare; $495.00 (€381.15) |
| Egyptian, Faience Amphoriskos, Ptolemaic to Early Roman, 3rd Century B.C. - 1st Century A.D. |  | |
| AB31020. Faience amphoriskos; height 10.8 cm (3 3/4"), white with traces of green glaze, ornamented with inscribed bands and crescents, two small loop handles, Choice, complete and intact, $450.00 (€346.50) |
| Roman, Millefiori Enamelled Brooch, 2nd Century A.D. |  | Probably made in the Rhineland but found in the Middle East.
Despite the corrosion and damage, this is a museum quality piece because of the superb quality of the original workmanship. |
| AS34494. cf. Hattatt's Ancient Brooches and Other Artifacts 1600 (overall shape) and Figure 75 (similar millefiori); 5 cm (2") long, symmetrical "equal ended" design, central raised rectangle, triangle ends, periferal lugs, tiny millefiori enamelling with checkerboards, rosetts, stripes and concentric circles; corrosion, hole in side, pin missing, reassembled from two pieces; rare; $450.00 (€346.50) |
| Roman Palaestina, Large Pottery Beaker, Late Roman Period, 4th - 7th Century A.D. |  | Time of Christian Acceptance and First Ecumenical (Nicene) Council.
From the collection of Alex G. Malloy, former dealer in antiquities for 40 years.
Found in Israel. |
| AH48175. Large pottery beaker; Tushingham 38:27-28; buff, wheel made, ribbed conical body, wide mouth, narrowing to flat base, 5 ½ inches high, Choice, hole in bottom, $450.00 (€346.50) |
| Roman, Glass Apollo's Head Cameo, 1st Century A.D. |  | From the collection of Alex G. Malloy, former dealer in antiquities for 40 years. |
| AA32453. Glass cameo; 2.5 cm (1"), Apollo's diademed head right in white with speckled red, black background; graying to top of the cameo, Choice, lovely and rare; $400.00 (€308.00) |
| Ptolemaic or Roman Egyptian, Glass Swan Inlay Fragment, c. 1st Century B.C. - Early 1st Century A.D. |  | From the collection of Alex G. Malloy, former dealer in antiquities for 40 years. |
| AA32454. Egyptian glass fragment, cf. Kofler-Tuniger 225 (swans but not identical) and Corning Museum of Glass III 1101 (yellow duck but similar work), Superb, 1.6 cm (5/8"), white swan with yellow beak on a purplish-black background; of great rarity!; $400.00 (€308.00) |
| Roman, Limestone Amphora-Shaped Statera (Steelyard) Scale Weight, 2nd - 3rd Century A.D. |  | From the collection of Alex G. Malloy, former dealer in antiquities for 40 years.
The statera is a type of Roman scale, often called a Roman steelyard. The steelyard comprises a balance beam which is suspended from a pivot (or fulcrum) which is very close to one end of the beam. The two parts of the beam which flank the pivot are the arms. The arm from which the object to be weighed is hung is short and is located close to the pivot point. The other arm is longer, is graduated and incorporates a counterweight which can be moved along the arm until the two arms are balanced about the pivot, at which time the weight of the load is indicated by the position of the counterweight. |
| AI36107. Statera weight; 4 inches high; carved amphora-shaped weight with two side lug handles; long narrow ridges to pointed bottom, Choice, most unusual; $375.00 (€288.75) |
| Roman Egyptian, Glass Gaming Tokens, 1st Century B.C. - 1st Century A.D. |  | From the collection of Alex G. Malloy, former dealer in antiquities for 40 years. |
| AS32408. 2 glass gaming tokens; cf. Corning Pre-Roman 600 (on left is so similar it is probably from the same workshop); both round, c.1.6 cm (5/8") diameter, Choice, D-shaped in cross section with flat base; on left millefiori opaque yellow canes with colorless center in colorless matrix, on right highly iridescent; $335.00 (€257.95) |
| Roman, Bronze Handle, 4th - 5th Century A.D. |  | The style exhibits central European influence, perhaps Gaul, Goth or Germanic. |
| AA59778. Roman bronze handle, 1.7 inches; terminus in the form of a bird with detail on both sides, nice; from an New Jersey collection, $300.00 (€231.00) |
| Roman, Large Iron Borer or File, 1st - 3rd Century A.D. |  | Another piece from the same group as this borer was dated by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to 120 A.D. with a probable range of 80 A.D. - 160 A.D. Testing was done using an innovative technique which measures the carbon isotope ratio of the trace carbon in the iron. This carbon comes from the wood used in the production of the iron which must be of essentially the same age as the tool itself. Results were published in the journal, Radiocarbon, Summer 2001. |
| AE61804. Roman borer, cf. Petrie, 'Tools and Weapons', plate LXV, #40; 7 inches, indent at one end for attaching handle, $300.00 (€231.00) |
| Roman, Bronze Bird Fibula, c. 3rd - 5th Century A.D. |  | |
| AE61829. Roman fibula; cf. Hattatt BOA 1156 - 1159; 1.25 inches, pin missing; from a New Jersey collection, c. 3rd - 5th Century A.D.; $300.00 (€231.00) |
| Roman, Glass Test-Tube Unguentarium, 1st - Early 2nd Century A.D. |  | This type of simple tubular unguentarium is was produced mostly in the first century. They replaced earlier terracotta bottles of the same shape.
The iridescent surface of some ancient glass, such as on this piece, is caused by interference effects of light reflected from several layers of weathering. The weathering resulted from chemical reactions between the glass and is environment over many centuries. |
| AB29972. Test-tube unguentarium; Isings form 27, cf. Ontario Museum 235, Corning Museum of Glass I 230, Yale Gallery 79; 12.5 cm (4 7/8"), Choice, free-blown, aquamarine, near-tubular shape, widening near the mouth and bottom, flattened base, folded and flattened rim; weathering, encrustations, bubbles; $270.00 (€207.90) |
| Roman, Palestine, Small Terracotta Bottle, 2nd - 3rd Century A.D. |  | Made in the Holy Land during the time of the Christian Early Church Fathers. Found in Israel.
From the collection of Alex G. Malloy, former dealer in antiquities for 40 years. |
| AI36076. Holy Land Bottle; 10.5 cm tall, Choice, red-buff terracotta with white slip, ovoid body, narrow tubular neck, ornamented with spiral ridges, pedestal base; chip in lip; $255.00 (€196.35) |
| Roman, Syria, Glass Sprinkler Vessel, 3rd - 4th Century A.D. |  | From the collection of Alex G. Malloy, former dealer in antiquities for 40 years. Ex Robert Hass collection. |
| AG32575. Sprinkler vessel, cf. Oppenländer 483; 7.6 cm (3"), mold-blown, green-aquamarine, pellets in grid design; iridescence, intact except rim chipped off, near Choice, $225.00 (€173.25) |
| Roman, Bronze Mirror Disc, 1st - 2nd Century A.D. |  | Ex Museo Nazionale di Villa Giulia, Rome de-acquisition, c. 1950’s; ex Ran Ryan, Rome 1974; from the collection of Alex G. Malloy, former dealer in antiquities for 40 years.
Museo Nazionale di Villa Giulia is a museum in Rome principally devoted to antiquities of the pre-Roman period from ancient Umbria, Latium, and southern Etruria. It is housed in the Villa Giulia, or Villa di Papa Giulio (Pope Julius), which was built in the mid-16th century for Pope Julius III and has housed the museum since 1889. |
| AI36100. Bronze Göbl MIRror disc; 4 3/4 inches diameter; thick green patina, Choice, $225.00 (€173.25) |
| Ptolemaic or Roman Egyptian, Mosaic Glass Fragment, 1st Century B.C. - 1st Century A.D. |  | From the collection of Alex G. Malloy, former dealer in antiquities for 40 years.
The mosaic glass making technique is a painstaking labor intensive process. Long colored glass rods (canes) are arranged and bundled to form the desired cross-section pattern. The rods are fused with heat and pulled to reduce the diameter and shrink the pattern to a smaller scale. The fused and pulled canes of glass are then cut into wafers, each piece bearing the original cross-section pattern in miniature. The wafers are then fused together to form the vessel. |
| AA32429. Mosaic glass fragment; cf. Wolf Collection (1994) 142; 3.2 cm (1 1/4"), near Choice, reconstruced, 3.2 cm (1 1/4"), floral checkerboard pattern of red crosslets and green crossed leaves on a black matrix, reconstructed from three smaller fragments; very rare; $200.00 (€154.00) |
| Roman, Syro-Palestinian, Glass Miniature Juglet Amulet, c. 3rd Century A.D. |  | From the collection of Alex G. Malloy, former dealer in antiquities for 40 years. Ex Robert Haas collection. This and a few other ex Haas miniature jug ammulets offered here may be ex Kofler-Truniger lot 204. They appear to be some of the same pieces but it is difficult to be certain from the small black and white catalog photo.
In the Ernesto Wolf Collection, Marianne Stern argues the distribution of this type of juglets, from the Holy Land to western Europe, indicates they were produced in Palestine as early Christian amulets and taken as relics or souvenirs from holy areas. |
| AA32447. Holyland glass juglet amulet, cf. Kofler-Truniger 204 (lot of 15 ammulets, one possibly this same piece); 2.8 cm (1 1/8"), Superb!, black, yellow rim and zigzag trail; $200.00 (€154.00) |
| Roman, Bronze Lozenge Shaped Stepped Brooch, c. 2nd Century A.D. |  | From the collection of Alex G. Malloy, former dealer in antiquities for 40 years.
Appears to be from the same workshop as the referenced Hattatt brooch, which was found in Britain. |
| AS36059. Bronze stepped brooch, cf. Hattatt BoA, 1085; cf. Malloy Auction LXI, May, 9, 2001, # 1241; 28 mm long; finely made, Choice, diamond shape, without lugs, enamel diamond in center, stepped levels with incised lines, hinged pin, rear hollowed hemispherically; complete with pin, two holes from corrosion; rare without lugs; $200.00 (€154.00) |
| Roman, Bronze Tweezers, 2nd - 4th Century A.D. |  | From the collection of Alex G. Malloy, former dealer in antiquities for 40 years.
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| AI36108. Bronze tweezers; cf. Malloy, Official Guide to Artifacts of Ancient Civilizations, 1997, 1775; 2 inches long, Intact and choice, $200.00 (€154.00) |
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