A Marble Marine Sarcophagus, Roman Imperial, circa 1st Quarter of the 3rd Century A.D., and Later

the front carved in high relief with a portrait bust of a woman within in a shell flanked by two nereids riding sea-centaurs and two nereids grasping the neck of sea-bulls, confronted dolphins beneath the shell and swimming erotes at both ends, each short side carved in shallow relief with an erote riding a sea-horse.

William Waldorf Astor, later 1st Baron Astor of Hever, Hever Castle, Kent, acquired in Rome between 1890 and 1905
by descent to Gavin Astor, 2nd Baron Astor of Hever (Sotheby's, London, July 12th, 1983, no. 365, illus.)

Donald Strong, "Some Unknown Classical Sculpture. The First Published Account of the Sculpture in William Waldorf Astor's Italian Garden at Hever Castle," in The Connoisseur, April 1965, p. 219, no. 5, pl. 15, and p. 222
G. Astor, Statuary and Sculpture at Hever, Ipswich, 1969, no. 80
Helmut Jung, Jahrbuch des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts, Berlin, 1978, p. 338ff., figs. 6-7
Bernard Andreae and Helmut Jung, Archäologischer Anzeiger, 1977, p. 434
Hans Georg Oehler, Foto+Skulptur: Römische Antiken in englischen Schlössern, Cologne, 1980, pp. 65-66, Kat. 48, pl. 64
Jahrbuch des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts, vol. 117, 2002, p. 300
Arachne. Datenbank und kulturelle Archive des Forschungsarchiv für Antike Plastik Köln und des Deutsches Archäologisches Instituts, no. 7338, illus.

Right short side and about half of front panel expertly restored in the 18th/19th century, salts migrating to sugary surface on both horse and nereid at far left, body of seated nereid at right recomposed from several fragments and/or partially restored, all heads of nereids are new.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

For a related marine sarcophagus see A. Rumpf, Die Meerwesen auf den antiken Sarkophagreliefs (ASR, V.1), Berlin, 1939, no. 72, pl. 25 (F. Baratte and C. Metzger, Musée du Louvre. Catalogue des sarcophages en pierre d'époques romaines et paléochrétiennes, Paris, 1985, no. 78, pp. 161-164).