Specialties
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Lively and Rare Roman Silver Griffin Vessel Leg
Catalogue:
Antiques:
Regional Art:
Ancient World:
Roman:
Pre AD 1000 item# 886914
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$2875.00
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This rare and lively piece is a cast Roman silver vessel leg in the form of a griffin. This exceptional piece dates circa 4th century A.D. and is approximately 3.4 inches high. This piece was cast via the "lost wax" technique, and as such, this piece is an individual work of art and is a solid heavy piece. The griffin was a composite mythical creature that was typically having a head, forepart, and wings like those of an eagle, and a body, hind legs, and tail like those of a lion. This piece has a lion's paw base, and the head and wings of an eagle. The wings served as an attachment support to a vessel that may have been made of bronze, as there are bronze deposits seen on the back side of each wing. This bronze vessel may have been supported by two additional silver griffin legs that would have formed a tripod base, but more likely, this bronze vessel may have been a square box, as the support wings seen at the back of this silver piece are set at a forty-five degree angle, and a silver griffin leg would have supported each corner of a square box. The griffin for the Hellenistic Greeks, was a creature that symbolized the destroying power of the gods, and for the Romans, the griffin came to symbolize a protective diety. In Roman art, the griffin was often applied in the decoration of friezes, and one of the finest was at the temple of Antoninus and Faustina in Rome. The use of a griffin, regarding the piece offered here, was probably regarded by the prior Roman owner as a protective type motif, and this vessel was a very valuable one, as the individual griffin support legs were made of silver, and other elements of this vessel could have been made of silver as well. An anlogous designed Roman griffin seen in the form of a bronze lamp handle is illustrated in "Die Welt Von Byzanz-Europas ostliches Erbe", by Herausgegeben von Ludwig Wamser, Theiss Pub., 2001, no. 340. The rare silver piece offered here is an exceptional example of late Roman art, as the face of the griffin has a very lively expression and this serves this piece well as a "protector" type piece. This piece has a dark to light grey patina, along with spotty bronze and minute dark black mineral deposits. This piece is mounted on a custom black plexiglas stand. Ex: Private Austria collection (1980's). Ex: Private German collection. (Additional documentation is available to the purchaser.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Flawless Roman Glass Molded Sprinkler Flask
Catalogue:
Antiques:
Regional Art:
Ancient World:
Roman:
Glass:
Pre AD 1000 item# 584291
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$1175.00
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This mint quality Roman glass "sprinkler" flask dates circa 3rd century AD and is in flawless condition. This piece is approximately 3.25 inches high, is larger than most examples, and has a nice silver/gold patina. This piece has a light blue-green color and has spotty mineral deposits. The name "sprinkler" flask is a modern day name given to a flask of this type, as it was designed with an interior valve and a wide, flat opening. This allowed for the contained liquid to sprinkle, rather than pour. This piece was also mold made from two separate halves, and the main body has a lattice-work type design. This piece is scarce in this condition with this clear molded design. This piece is seen on a clear plexiglas stand that is included. Ex: New York private collection. Ex: Fortuna Fine Arts, New York. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Mint Roman Glass Flask with Dainty Handle
Catalogue:
Antiques:
Regional Art:
Ancient World:
Roman:
Glass:
Pre AD 1000 item# 921530
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$565.00
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This Roman glass jug is approximately 3.5 inches high and is in mint condition, with no cracks and/or chips. This piece is a light blue/green color, and has sections of a multi-colored iridescence. This piece dates circa late 3rd-4th century A.D., and is classified as a "Late Blue-Green Mould-Blown Series" by John W. Hayes in "Roman and Pre-Roman Glass in the Royal Ontario Museum", Toronto, Canada, 1975, p. 87. This piece is analogous to a piece illustrated in this work and it is no. 432, which also shows vertical fluting on the lower body, inward base with pontil-mark, thin elongated neck, and a very thin applied handle. The handle seen on the piece offered here is very dainty and remarkably thin, but durable. A choice example of Roman blown glass. Ex: Private New York collection. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Roman Bronze Patera Handle with Ram Figure
Catalogue:
Antiques:
Regional Art:
Ancient World:
Roman:
Bronze:
Pre AD 1000 item# 584689
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$875.00
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This Roman bronze with ram figure is a "patera handle" that dates circa 1st century AD. This piece was used in a ceremony, which was sacrificial in nature, that determined the omens for a future military event. This ceremony involved the sacrifice of a ram, and the piece seen here has a ram's head at the terminal end of the handle. The ram's head seen here has silver inlay eyes and detailed lines that define the horns. This piece has a nice dark green patina with muti-colored mineralization. There is a detailed scrolling foliate pattern where the handle attached to the open pan. This piece was also made from three cast pieces that made up the entire piece seen here. This piece is approximately 6.7 inches long and is in better condition than most examples. This piece is mounted on a custom clear and black plexiglas stand that is also included. Ex: Christie's Antiquities, May 1997, no. 168. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Roman Bronze Gladiatorial Ceremonial Sword Hilt
Catalogue:
Antiques:
Regional Art:
Ancient World:
Roman:
Bronze:
Pre AD 1000 item# 771544
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$6800.00
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This extremely rare piece is a Roman bronze sword hilt that is in the form of a feathered eagle's head. The eagle is the imperial symbol of Rome itself, and the eyes of the eagle appear to show an intense expression, and this reflects the hard profession of the Roman gladiator. This piece dates circa 1st-2nd century A.D. and is approximately 4.8 inches long by 2.6 inches high. This piece held an iron blade, and the base of the feathered eagle's neck supports a bust of Hercules, which serves as a hand guard. The bust of Hercules is seen with a lion's skin draped over his head, and this depiction of Hercules on a Roman weapon of this type is extremely rare, as Roman bronze sword hilts of this type normally depict a helmeted Minerva. ( For this type with the helmeted Minerva see Christie's Antiquities, London, The Axel Guttmann Collection of Ancient Arms and Armour, Part II, April 2004, no. 173. ) The only other known example of an extremely rare Roman bronze weapon of this type, with the bust of Hercules, is seen in the National Museum Naples, Italy. ( Inventory no. 68308. ) This National Museum Naples example is thought to have come from Pompeii, which had a gladiatorial training school/barracks and one of the earliest gladiatorial amphitheatres in central Italy. This amphitheatre seated twenty thousand spectators, which was many for a small town such as Pompeii. ( For an overview of Pompeii see "Gladiators" by Michael Grant, Barnes and Noble Pub., 1995, pages 40-49.) The exceptional piece offered here may have been used for ceremonial events, as well as combat, and it is also quite possible that the Minerva and the Hercules bust types were used by different types of gladiatorial combatants. This piece is in superb condition for the type, and has a nice dark green patina with spotty red highlights. The box holding the iron blade has a small break seen at the bottom, and this may be battle damage. There is also some spotty wear in sections of the handle and this may also indicate long use of the weapon. An extremely rare weapon that is also a rare type. Mounted on a custom plexiglas display stand, and can easily be removed. Ex: Christie's Antiquities, London, Dec. 1991, no. 182. Ex: Axel Guttmann collection, Berlin, Germany. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Large Flawless Roman Glass Plate with Base Ring
Catalogue:
Antiques:
Regional Art:
Ancient World:
Roman:
Glass:
Pre AD 1000 item# 584209
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$3265.00
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This flawless Roman glass plate is a light blue color and is approximately 9.4 inches in diameter by 2.25 inches high. This large piece dates circa 1st century AD and has a nice multi-colored patina. This piece has an applied ring base foot and a verticle wall with folded cordon at the base. This vessel has an exceptional high degree of workmanship, as the folds seen within this vessel form and strengthen the overall piece. This piece is very analogous in type, color, and size to the superb example recently sold at Christie's Antiquities, New York, June 2008, no. 143. ( $3,800.00 bid, $4,750.00 with buyer's premium. ) Ex: Christie's Antiquities, June 2001, no. 210. Ex: Private New York collection. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Mint Roman Glass Bottle with Flat Rim
Catalogue:
Antiques:
Regional Art:
Ancient World:
Roman:
Glass:
Pre AD 1000 item# 583883
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$2675.00
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This mint quality Roman glass bottle dates circa 1st-2nd century AD and is approximately 6.3 inches high by 5.3 inches in diameter. This piece has a rare extended flat and thin upper rim that is intact. This vessel also has a exceptional multi-colored patina, and is much better than most examples of this type. This vessel is a light blue-green color and it has light brown and white calcite deposits both on the inside and outside surface of the vessel. This piece is of exceptional quality for the type, as most examples have a cracked and/or broken upper rim. See "Roman and Pre-Roman Glass in the Royal Ontario Museum" no. 146, p.58, for an analogous example. Ex: Fortuna Fine Arts, New York. Ex: Private New York collection. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Cute Roman Bronze Seated Dog: X-Mildenberg
Catalogue:
Antiques:
Regional Art:
Ancient World:
Roman:
Bronze:
Pre AD 1000 item# 594369
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$825.00
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This little Roman bronze dog dates circa 2nd-3rd century A.D., and is approximately 1.5 inches high. This cute little Roman bronze dog is seen seated and looks perfectly calm. This type of piece was collected by Leo Mildenberg of Zurich, Switzerland who built a collection of ancient animal art. His collection were all of animals that did not display any signs of violence. This piece is mounted on a custom black plexiglas and white marble base. This complete piece has a dark green patina and has extremely fine detail. Ex: Christie's Antiquities London, Leo Mildenberg Collection of Ancient Animals, October 2004, no. 372. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Three Mint Roman Glass Cosmetic Flasks
Catalogue:
Antiques:
Regional Art:
Ancient World:
Roman:
Glass:
Pre AD 1000 item# 783989
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$565.00
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These three Roman glass vessels date circa 3rd century A.D., and are mint quality with no cracks and/or chips. These pieces were all blown into various shapes that fit a particular cosmetic and/or unguent. These pieces are approximately 3.2, 2.9, and 2.5 inches high. These pieces are all light green in color and have spotty light brown mineral deposits. Ex: Joel Malter collection, Los Angeles, CA. I certify that these pieces are authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Roman Bronze Sestertius as Scale Armour
Catalogue:
Antiques:
Regional Art:
Ancient World:
Roman:
Bronze:
Pre AD 1000 item# 872310
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$325.00
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This interesting Roman bronze coin is a bronze Sestertius, and was minted circa 60-68 A.D., and depicts a bust of Nero, who was in power circa 54-68 A.D. This coin is approximately 37mm in diameter, is Very Good quality, and has a nice dark green patina with heavy dark green/brown deposits. There are also four holes seen on this piece, and this likely facilitated leather ties which allowed this piece to be fitted into a composite corslet as scale armour. (See attached drawing.) This type of of Roman armour is known, but is extremely rare, and was not often manufactured by the Romans, although the blending of metal leaves interwoven with fabric, was known by the Greeks as early as the 12th century B.C. in Cyprus. (See "Warfare in Ancient Greece" by Tim Everson, Sutton Pub., United Kingdom, 2004, p. 154-155.) This piece could have served as armour during this period, as Rome had a brief, but quick civil war with four Emperors circa 68-69 A.D. This piece also has a deep mark in the center of the coin that was probably a test cut, rather than a battle mark. The test cut was done in order to test that the metal was 100% bronze, rather than a bronze plated "fourree". This test cut was also probably done when this coin was no longer in circulation, and could have been struck circa 68 A.D., when Nero was replaced by Galba. This coin is an interesting piece that had a dual utility. A custom black plexiglas stand is included, and the piece is easily removable as it is attached with clay. Ex: Private English collection. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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