Rare Roman Bronze Handle with Victory

Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. An elegant cast bronze handle for a situla or casket featuring a winged goddess - probably Victory (Nike) - on its lower terminal and a woman's head with elegant bun in profile on the upper part of the handle before it curves at a near ninety degree angle into a branching, foliate upper terminal. The goddess kneels before an altar or possibly a small tree, with her body beautifully portrayed in high relief. Her arm curves outward in an openwork form, adding three dimensionality to this beautiful handle and demonstrating the skill of the artist who made the piece. Victory and her siblings were close companions of Jupiter (Zeus), and she was often portrayed as a divine charioteer who flew around battlefields giving out laurel wreaths to the victors as symbols of glory and fame. Size: 1.75" W x 5.25" H (4.4 cm x 13.3 cm); 6.55" H (16.6 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; ex-William Froelich collection, New York, USA, collected in the 1970s

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#152798
Condition Report: Small loss from one lower corner and another from one upper corner; both losses are ancient. Rich deposits on surface with a smooth, pale green patina.