A Roman Marble Tripod of Apollo, circa 2nd Century A.D.

composed of a broad rounded gadrooned basin supported by three legs connected at the bottom by rounded sections each surmounted by an arch, each leg of rectangular section, fluted, and with two knobs imitating rivets above a moulding on top, a serpent coiled inside between the legs and projecting its fragmentary head through one of the arched openings; no restorations, considerable wear and dark patina on the rounded rim strongly suggest secondary use as a stoop over several generations.

Italian private collection, 1st half of the 16th Century (based on two Renaissance drawings)
Michel Malnatty, Paris
Michel Rullier, acquired from the above in the 1970s/80s (Drouot, Paris, Fraysse & Associés, De fer et de bronze: Collection Michel Rullier, March 10th, 2010)

Codex Fossombrone (sketchbook executed between 1524-1538), fol. 21v (Arnold Nesselrath, Das Fossombroner Skizzenbuch, London, 1993, p. 156, fig. 39)
Codex Zichy, Erwin Szabo Public Library, Budapest (executed in Venice between 1489-1536), fol. 48r

Condition consistent with age and considerable time spent reused as a stoop (acquasantiera, bénitier). Various chips and abrasions overall. Missing head of serpent shows an ancient break. It was therefore "virtually" restored in the 16th century drawings. The entire surface is extremely dirty, especially on the flat and rounded exposed surfaces. The underside shows old breaks at the legs, showing that the Renaissance drawings used their imagination to complete the object as they did. The ancient tripod, when complete, probably had legs terminating in lion's paws, as shown on the tripod base from Hever Castle does (ex Bardini).
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In his commentary on folio 21v of the Codex Fossombrone Arnold Nesselrath refers to the drawing of the present object as “perspective view of an unidentified, probably ancient tripod, between the legs of which a snake curl up. No indication is given of the material - whether marble or bronze - or of the scale or function of the piece, since such objects occur as sculptures in the round (...), or are only used as leg-supports on Roman marble copies after bronze statues."

The drawings show the lower part of the present tripod in a virtual state of restoration. The Codex Zichy drawing shows it with the usual Renaissance embellishments.