Group of 4 Roman Pottery Oil Lamps

Roman, Late Imperial to Byzantine Period, ca. late 4th to early 8th century CE. An attractive ensemble of 4 mold-made pottery oil lamps, all presenting ring-form bodies, sloped shoulders, annular fill holes, and wick spouts. The first and largest exhibits a slipper-shaped body with a fin-like handle and thumb rest at the back. Its shoulders and neck are adorned with a decorative program of radiating and swirling striations, as well as scattered target-motifs. The next displays a recessed fill hole encompassed by a raised ring and a protruding handle or thumb rest at the side. The final pair are nearly identical, though 1 is redware and the other is blackware; both have discoid bodies with elongated necks, protruding spouts, petite, triangular handles at the back, and striated decoration enveloping the tops. Size (of largest): 3.8" L x 2.3" W x 1.3" H (9.7 cm x 5.8 cm x 3.3 cm)

Provenance: private C.Q. collection, Lexington, Virginia, USA, acquired from 2013 to 2014; ex-Artemis Gallery, Louisville, Colorado, USA; 3 with striated decoration are ex-D. Smith, San Diego, California, USA collection; 1 with recessed fill hole is ex-Die collection, Houston, Texas, USA

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.

Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.

#167072
Condition Report: Largest has repair and restoration to handle as well as chip to side. Other 3 are intact. All are excellent with impressive preservation of detail and nice earthen deposits.