A Marble Season Sarcophagus Fragment, Roman Imperial, Severan, 1st Third of the 3rd Century A.D.

from the right corner of a Columnar Season sarcophagus, finely carved in front with an erote playing atop a large fruit-filled calyx krater under an elaborate arch, the lower part of the vessel decorated with radiating tongues emerging from a calyx of acanthus leaves, the upper part with diagonal flutes encircled by a wreath of ivy, a bird resting in the spandrel, the short side ornamented with an erote driving a chariot pulled by two leaping rams, the cornice ornamented with bead-and-reel, acanthus, and egg-and-dart moldings.

Pino Donati, Lugano
Hans Termer, Hamburg
Münzen und Medaillen AG, Basel, Auktion 56, Kunstwerke der Antike, February 19th, 1980, no.170, pl. 70

"Kunst der Antike. Schätze aus norddeutschem Privatbesitz," Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg, January 21st - March 6th, 1977

Anne Eberle, "Un sarcophage romain unique en son genre," Hefte des archäologischen Seminars der Universität Bern, vol. 2, 1976, p. 10f., cat. no. A, pl. 3
Anne Eberle, in Kunst der Antike. Schätze aus norddeutschem Privatbesitz, exhibition catalogue, Mainz am Rhein, 1977, pp. 56-58, no. 36, illus.
Guntram Koch and Hellmut Sichtermann, Römische Sarkophage, Munich, 1982, p. 219
Peter Kranz, Jahreszeiten-Sarkophage (Antike Sarkophagreliefs, vol. 5,4), Berlin, 1984, p. 184f., cat. no. 3, pl. 18,3 and 19,3.5
Arachne, no. 133674

As shown, patches of incrustation do not appear nearly as orange as they do in the photo, note large chip across top corner, missing extremities to putto on top of krater, fragmentary putto and ram-drawn chariot along side, and weathered surface of bird standing atop arch, most of carving and drilling is very precise and still very crisp in most areas.
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.

The present fragment is the largest and most elaborately decorated of six pieces dispersed among various private collections and originally belonging to the same monumental sarcophagus (see Kranz 1984, pls. 18-19). The front panel was decorated with four kraters, each representing a different season and occupying its own arch (see Sotheby's, New York, June 7th, 2007, no. 75).