Specialties
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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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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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Rare and Mint Roman Marbled Blue-Green Flask
Catalogue:
Antiques:
Regional Art:
Ancient World:
Roman:
Glass:
Pre AD 1000 item# 1108747
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$2,375.00
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This rare piece is a Roman marbled glass flask that dates circa 1st century A.D. This piece is approximately 5 inches high, and is in mint quality condition. This piece is a dark green/blue color, has some heavy white calcite deposits on the upper inner surfaces, and some spotty black mineral deposits on the outer surface. This exceptional piece was produced by blending glass rods into the piece, and this process created the "marbled" composition of the vessel which is a heavy, thick-walled vessel. This process also produced a rough surface, and there are also small and large air bubbles that were fused into the glass. This piece was also difficult to produce, and is much rarer than the subsequent Roman blown glass vessels that were thin-walled and mass produced. This piece also has a flattened bottom and easily stands by itself. For an analogous example, see Christie's Antiquities, New York, Dec. 2007, no. 90. (See attached photo. $3,000.00-$5,000.00 estimates, $6,875.00 realized.) Ex: Joel Malter collection, Los Angeles, CA. Ex: Private CA. collection. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Mint Roman Glass Flask with Elongated Neck
Catalogue:
Antiques:
Regional Art:
Ancient World:
Roman:
Glass:
Pre AD 1000 item# 590960
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$925.00
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This nice Roman glass flask dates circa 2nd century AD and is in mint condition, with no breaks and/or chips. This piece is approximately 7.4 inches high and is a light green color. There are heavier surface deposits seen on one side, and this suggests a burial pattern. There are spotty mineral deposits and areas of muti-colored iridescence seen in sections of the vessel. This vessel is larger than most examples, as it has a tall elongated neck, and is a nice example. Ex: Joel Malter collection, Los Angeles, CA. I certify that this vessel is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Roman Bronze Silenus Applique Figure
Catalogue:
Antiques:
Regional Art:
Ancient World:
Roman:
Bronze:
Pre AD 1000 item# 599095
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$965.00
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This superb Roman bronze piece is an applique with the image of Silenus. This piece dates circa 1st century B.C.-1st century A.D., and is in the form of a facing head, with an attached peg that extends about 1.5 inches from the back side of the applique. This piece was probably mounted in an object such as a furniture piece, or a bronze and wooden door, or a composite work or arms such as a Roman shield. A piece with this type of design, with the extended peg, could have fit in a number of objects. The Sileni were native not to Greece, but to Phrygia in Roman Asia, and personified the genii of springs and rivers. Unlike the Satyrs who derive chiefly from the he-goat, the Sileni derive rather from the horse, whose tail hooves, and even ears they possess. This piece clearly shows the horse ears and shows Silenus as a fat old man, snub-nosed, always drunk, who was in the retinue of Dionysus. Silenus was the tutor of Dionysus and had helped him form his character. The diameter of this piece is approximately 1.4 inches and the length is approximately 2 inches. This piece has a dark green patina with red highlights and the detail is superb. There are some dark green mineral deposits seen on the extended peg. This piece is mounted with clay on a custom black/plexiglas base and can easily be removed. Ex: Private German collection. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Masterpiece Miniature Roman Silver Eagle Figurine
Catalogue:
Antiques:
Regional Art:
Ancient World:
Roman:
Pre AD 1000 item# 594619
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$2865.00
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This Roman silver eagle is nothing short of a masterpiece. This piece dates circa 1st century B.C. to the 1st century A.D. The quality and detail seen on this piece is mint to superb, and this piece probably was made by a gem engraver and/or coin die celator. This miniature silver piece is approximately 1.25 inches high, weighs approximately 11 gms, and sits on a custom clear/black plexiglas base. This piece rotates around on a small pin that is centered within a clear plexiglas post. This piece is also solid, as it was cast, then hand-worked with minute detail. This remarkable minute detail is especially seen within the wings and upturned head, and this type of workmanship reminds one of the Greek coins of Acragas, circa 472-420 B.C., that show a standing eagle in the process of devouring a captured hare. A coin such as this may have served as a model for the exceptional piece offered here, as the Roman artists strove to duplicate the earlier Greek artists. The minute detail, seen within the feathers of the wings and the tension portrayed in the neck with a slight twist, could only have been produced by a very accomplished artist. The pose of this piece is very refined from every angle, which is another point that defines this piece. The patina of this piece is aged to a light gray, which indicates that this piece has had contact with oxygen for quite some time and that it has not been recently cleaned. An exceptional piece with fine detail and one of the best Roman miniatures that has been offered. Ex: Private German collection. Ex: Private New York 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 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
$2875.00
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This mint quality Roman glass bottle dates circa 1st-2nd century A.D., and is approximately 6.3 inches high by 5.3 inches in diameter. This attractive piece has an extended flat and thin upper rim which is intact, and as such, is a rare example for the type, as most Roman glass vessels of this type have a cracked and/or broken upper rim. This vessel also has an exceptional multi-colored patina, and is much better than most examples of this type. This vessel is also a light blue-green color, and it has light brown and white calcite deposits that are seen both on the inside and outside surfaces. (See "Roman and Pre-Roman Glass in the Royal Ontario Museum" no. 146, p.58, for an analogous example.) The piece offered here is seldom seen on the market in this quality. Ex: private New York collection. Ex: Fortuna Fine Arts, New York. 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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