Fine Coins Showcase
Antiquities Showcase
Show Empty Categories
Shop Search
Shopping Cart
My FORVM
Contact Us
About Forum
Shopping at Forum
Our Guarantee
Payment Options
Shipping Options & Fees
Privacy & Security
Forum Staff
Selling Your Coins
Identifying Your Coin
FAQs
zoom.asp
Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Roman Coins| ▸ |Roman Antiquities||View Options:   | | | |
King Polydektes commanded Perseus to fetch the head of Medusa. With the help of the gods, Perseus obtained the helmet of Hades, which made him invisible, a reflective shield, and a magical harpa sword. Stealing the single eye of the Graeae, he compelled them to reveal the location of the Gorgones. Perseus approached Medusa as she slept and beheaded her with eyes averted to avoid her petrifying visage. Invisibility protected him from her vengeful sisters. On his journey back to Greece, Perseus came across the Ethiopian princess Andromeda chained to a rock as a sacrifice to a sea-monster. He slew the beast and brought her with him back to Greece as his bride. He returned to King Polydektes and turned him to stone, before traveling on to his grandfather's kingdom to claim the throne.
Bronzes of Herakles are abundant in the many museum collections reviewed by Forum, but Perseus is missing from most. We did not find any figures similar to this one in the many references checked.AB23901. Roman Bronze, Figure of Perseus Holding Head of Medusa; BnF Bronzes -, Morgan Bronzes -, ROM Metalware -, BMC Bronzes -, Louvre Bronzes -, Choice, green patina, intact except for missing blade and mounting peg on left foot, reverse bronze standing figure of Perseus, 13cm (5") tall, nude but for the Phrygian helmet of Hades on his head, holding Medusa's head by the hair in his right hand, his harpa (blade missing) in his left hand, stand provided; ex Griffin Gallery of Ancient Art (Boca Raton FL); rare; $2800.00 (€2828.00)
Roman, Bronze Krater Handle Ornamented with Lions, c. 1st - 3rd Century A.D.
Click here to see the line drawing of Catalogue des bronzes antiques de la Bibliothèque National no. 1446, a nearly identical handle in the Bibliothèque nationale de France published in 1895.AM23903. Roman bronze krater handle; cf. BnF Bronzes 1446, Superb, about as made with the addition of an an attractive green patina, c. 1st - 3rd Century A.D.; 12 cm (4 7/8") tall, on the upper part, which would have been attached atop the rim of the vessel: a lion's head faces inward, its back arching above, between two lions lying in opposite directions, on the lower part: acanthus and scrolls between two snakes with heads upward, ex Griffin Gallery of Ancient Art (Boca Raton FL); $2200.00 (€2222.00)
Roman, Eastern Mediterranean, Glass Bottle, c. 1st - 3rd Century A.D.
Our specimen is weathered making it in part iridescent and making the original color difficult to determine. Iridescence is a beautiful effect of ancient glass weathering, which distorts the original color and transparency of the glass with rainbow-like colors. The referenced Hermitage Collection bottle is described as clear pink-violet glass. It does appear this piece might have been the same color.AG23897. cf. Hermitage Collection 355, Ontario Museum 222, Corning I 197,, Choice, very tiny chip on rim, areas of encrustation, weathering, iridescent areas, probably 1st century A.D.; glass unguentarium, 8.8 cm (3 1/2") tall, free-blown, violet(?) glass, squat piriform body, long cylindrical neck widening to body, rim everted and then folded in, flat bottom with no pontil mark; ex Griffin Gallery of Ancient Art (Boca Raton FL); $700.00 (€707.00)
Roman, Eastern Mediterranean, Glass Double Balsamarium (Cosmetic Tube), 4th Century A.D.
This type was used to store eye makeup. One tube would have held kohl, a black paste made with powdered galena. The other tube would have held another color, perhaps made with an ochre clay (for red or brown) or powdered malachite (for green or blue).AG23900. cf. ROM Glass 458, Corning II 744, Princeton 426, Lightfoot NMS 262, Yale Gallery 321; 11.5 cm (4 1/8") tall, Choice, complete and intact, weathering with areas of iridescence, 4th Century A.D.; double balsamarium, free-blown thick heavy pale translucent blue-green glass, 20.0 cm (8") tall, two tubes joined side-by-side and sharing a thick bottom (made by folding a single tube), deep cleft between the tubes on one side, the other side filled, rim flattened, small handles applied from rim to side, single thin spiral thread decoration applied after folding; ex Griffin Gallery of Ancient Art (Boca Raton FL); $700.00 (€707.00)
Roman Syria-Palestina, Jewish, Lead Bulla Seal, 7 Branched Menorah, c. 5th - 6th Century A.D.
A bulla (plural, bullae) is a lump of clay or lead molded around a cord and stamped with a seal that identifies the sender. With a bulla in place, a container cannot be violated without visible damage to either the bulla or the cord, revealing the tampering. Bullae depicting a menorah are known but very rare and not well documented. Dattari-Savio p. 327, 3 is a 1901 rubbing of a very similar menorah sealing. Michael Still lists two menorah sealings in his thesis on Roman seals, 1696 with a Latin inscription reverse, 1765 with a Hebrew inscription reverse. The recently published catalogue of the Vossen collection by Gert Boersema and Bill Dalzell, has two Menorah seals, numbers 181 and 182, both with blank reverses. There are also a few examples known from auctions. A FORVM member posted a bulla of this exact type from his collection on the Classical Numismatic Discussion on the Forum Ancient Coins website. We received three examples of this type on consignment, all with the same fire damage, suggesting they were found together.JD98655. Lead bulla (tag seal), VF, chip on reverse, light earthen deposits, raised bumps from exposure to an ancient fire that heated and expanded air bubbles within the lead, weight 4.679 g, maximum diameter 15.9 mm, c. 5th - 6th century A.D.; obverse seven branched menorah with tripod base; reverse lulav, uncertain Syriac inscription; very rare; $540.00 (€545.40)
Roman, Syria Palestina, Bronze Scroll Case Amulet, 3rd - 5th Century A.D.
This amulet was used to hold a small rolled-up thin sheet, probably of vellum (since it is gone without a trace), but possibly of bronze, lead, or silver, inscribed with minuscule writing, likely text from the bible, a priestly blessing, or a magical spell for the protection of the wearer. New technology has allowed some of these tiny scrolls to be read, expanding our understanding of the history of both Judaism and Christianity. See our Scroll Amulet NumisWiki page for links to fascinating reads online!AS111474. Roman, Syria Palestina, scroll amulet with horizontal body used to contain scroll(s) and two loops for suspension, near Choice, partially flattened, missing fragments, mineral and earthen deposits, no scroll present, 39.0mm long, 3rd - 5th Century A.D.; ex Amphora Coins (David Hendin) with his 2017 photo authenticity receipt, ex Herbert Sterns Collection (purchased in Israel mid 1990s); $500.00 (€505.00)
Lot of 100 Bronze Ancient Trilobate Arrowheads, Hellenistic - Byzantine, c. 300 B.C. - 1000 A.D.
LT96894. Lot of 100 bronze trilobate arrowheads, mostly or all Hellenistic - Byzantine, c. 300 B.C. - 1000 A.D., c. 12 - 28 mm, some complete and intact, some with chips or bends, unattributed to type, no tags, from the same larger lot as the arrowheads in the photograph, as-is, no returns; $400.00 (€404.00)
Lot of 100 Bronze Ancient Trilobate Arrowheads, Hellenistic - Byzantine, c. 300 B.C. - 1000 A.D.
LT96895. Lot of 100 bronze trilobate arrowheads, mostly or all Hellenistic - Byzantine, c. 300 B.C. - 1000 A.D., c. 12 - 28 mm, some complete and intact, some with chips or bends, unattributed to type, no tags, from the same larger lot as the arrowheads in the photograph, as-is, no returns; $400.00 (€404.00)
Roman Syria-Palestina, Jewish, Lead Bulla Seal, 7 Branched Menorah, c. 5th - 6th Century A.D.
A bulla (plural, bullae) is a lump of clay or lead molded around a cord and stamped with a seal that identifies the sender. With a bulla in place, a container cannot be violated without visible damage to either the bulla or the cord, revealing the tampering. Bullae depicting a menorah are known but very rare and not well documented. Dattari-Savio p. 327, 3 is a 1901 rubbing of a very similar menorah sealing. Michael Still lists two menorah sealings in his thesis on Roman seals, 1696 with a Latin inscription reverse, 1765 with a Hebrew inscription reverse. The recently published catalogue of the Vossen collection by Gert Boersema and Bill Dalzell, has two Menorah seals, numbers 181 and 182, both with blank reverses. There are also a few examples known from auctions. A FORVM member posted a bulla of this exact type from his collection on the Classical Numismatic Discussion on the Forum Ancient Coins website. We received three examples of this type on consignment, all with the same fire damage, suggesting they were found together.JD98656. Lead bulla (tag seal), VF/Fair, light earthen deposits, raised bumps from exposure to an ancient fire that heated and expanded air bubbles within the lead, c. 5th - 6th century A.D.; obverse seven branched menorah with tripod base; reverse lulav, uncertain Syriac inscription (obscure); very rare; $300.00 (€303.00)
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; $260.00 (€262.60)
CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE FROM THIS CATEGORY - FORVM's PRIOR SALES
Page created in 1.407 seconds.
