Ancient Sculpture and Works of Art Part II

Ancient Sculpture and Works of Art Part II

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 143. A Romano-Egyptian Group of Millefiori and Mosaic Glass Beads, circa 1st Century B.C./4th Century A.D..

The Property of a Gentleman

A Romano-Egyptian Group of Millefiori and Mosaic Glass Beads, circa 1st Century B.C./4th Century A.D.

Lot Closed

December 7, 10:43 AM GMT

Estimate

8,000 - 12,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

The Property of a Gentleman

A Romano-Egyptian Group of Millefiori and Mosaic Glass Beads

circa 1st Century B.C./4th Century A.D.


strung as a necklace, including faceted cylindrical beads with floral motifs, two ovoid beads with opaque yellow and red eyes in a translucent green matrix, and a large biconical bead with feather pattern, the gold spacer beads probably of later origin.

length 43.2 cm.

Goddard and Josephine DuBois, acquired in Egypt circa 1901-1907
Dr. Goddard Dubois, San Diego
Sotheby's, London, June 3rd, 2015, no. 64, illus.
acquired by the present owner at the above sale

One of the most intricate glasswork techniques first used by the ancient Egyptians is known as "millefiori," which translates in Italian to “a thousand flowers” for its intricate polychrome effect. The term "millefiori" covers any repeating radially symmetrical motif made with mosaic glass, including concentric circles, rosettes and diamonds. For a related example to the present lot in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, see https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/255762