A Roman Marble Cinerary Urn inscribed for Aulus Pompeius Carpus, 2nd Quarter of the 1st Century A.D.

decorated in front in high relief with two birds perched on the rim of a krater, two stalks of ivy leaves and berries emerging from the vessel and framing a panel above engraved with four lines of Latin inscription reading, D(IS) M(ANIBUS) RELIQUIAE A(ULI) POMPEII CARPI SCRIB(AE) LIBR(ARII) Q(UAESTORII) III DEC(URIONUM), each side carved with a large palmette in shallow relief; no restorations.

Cardinal Stefano Borgia (1731-1804), Velletri, acquired prior to 1785
European private collection, acquired in the 1st half of the 20th Century (Phillips, London, December 6th, 1993, no. 126, illus.)
Rupert Wace, London, circa 1994
Sotheby's, New York, New York, June 13th, 1996, no. 91, illus.
French private collection, Paris
French private collection, Paris, acquired from the above

Gaetano Marini, Iscrizione antiche delle ville e de' palazzi albani, Rome, 1785, p. 56
Clemente Cardinali, Iscrizione veliterne, Rome, 1823, p. 155, no. XCI
Martin Bang, ed., Inscriptiones Urbis Romae Latinae, vol. VI, pars IV, fasc. III: Additamentorum auctarium, Berlin, 1933, p. 3818, no. 1824 (CIL VI.1824)
Theodor Mommsen, ed., Inscriptiones Bruttiorum, Lucaniae, Campaniae, Siciliae, Sardiniae latinae, pars I, Berlin, 1883, p. 42, no. 948,29 (CIL X.948,29)
Hermann Dessau, Inscriptiones latinae selectae, vol. I, Berlin, 1892, no. 1894

As shown, surface slightly weathered and sugary, but decoration is well preserved. Large chip on top of proper left corner in back. Raised ledge for securing of missing lid is abraded overall and chipped along one small section in back. Lower edge of urn in back is also chipped in one place. There are four circular holes on top, one in in each corner, including three still filled with lead. Interior shows two small circular holes, one in the center, another in the corner. Back wall of urn was carved lower than front one, causing both short sides to be of trapezoidal rather than rectangular shape. Minor chips and abrasions overall. Back of urn was roughly finished with the chisel in Antiquity.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The 1993 Phillips auction catalogue specifies that the present lot, together with several other ancient marbles offered in the same section, came from a collection "formed during the first half of this century by two generations of a European family. The vendor's great-grandfather, a Hungarian, and grandfather, a German sea captain, both (...) travelled widely. The majority of the collection was acquired during the sea captain's travels in Northern Europe, particularly Scandinavia."