Jewellery, Watches, Antiquities and Objects of Vertu

A Roman bronze patera, 1st century AD., the shallow bowl decorated with concentric bands beneath the centre and a bulbous indentation or omphalos, the handle circular in section with lion’s head finial, also at the base of the attachment plate, diameter 13cm, length including handle 21cm. £1,800-£2,000

Ex Gorny & Mosch, auction 222, 25/06/2014, lot 86. This finely worked vessel was used for serving food or drink at functions or for pouring libations at religious ceremonies as an offering to a deity. An animals head, usually a rams head was added as a finial to the handle, the lions head in this case is rarer.