Roman Folding Tripod Table Support with Panther

4th-7th century AD. A bronze leg from a tripod camp brazier or basin, the shaft with bead-and-reel decoration, a flat panel to the top with a six-petal rosette; the central ornament an arched shield with intricately carved scrolled vines, rosettes, crosses and hatching, a horizontal crenelated ridge to the centre and feline paw to the lower edge; the top part of the shield with a projecting panther head with long and arching neck, radiating mane and pointed ears, open jaws with the tongue lolling between the sharp fangs; perforated flanges to the reverse for the hinges, one absent; mounted on a custom-made display stand. See Kent Hill, D., ‘Roman Panther Tripods’ in American Journal of Archaeology, vol.55, no.4, October 1951, pp.344-347; Kat. Essen, Koptische Kunst, Christentum am Nil, Essen, 1963, nos.172-173, for a similar specimen in beaten bronze; Klatt, U., ‘Römische Klapptische. Drei-und vierbeinige Stützgestellte aus Bronze und Silber,’ in Kölner Jahrbuch fur Vor-und Frühgeschichte, 28, 1995, pp.349-573; for a 6th-7th century AD Roman example see Wamser, L., Die Welt von Byzanz - Europas Östliches Erbe, München, 2004, fig.355. 7.9 kg, 81.5cm including stand (32"). Formerly with Christie's New York, 3 June 2009, lot 198; formerly in a French private collection, 1980s; accompanied by a copy of the relevant Christie's catalogue pages and by copies of relevant pages from the book Die Welt von Byzanz - Europas Östliches Erbe showing a drawing of a complete folding table with similar panther-shaped leg; accompanied by an archaeological report by military specialist Dr. Raffaele D’Amato; this lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by AIAD certificate number no.10807-178743. The typology of tables or objects to which this leg belongs was well known within the Roman world. These objects were used as the supports for campaign tables during military activities, with a circular board inserted onto the pegs to lock the legs into place, or as a support for braziers or basins. Our specimen belongs to the type known as ‘panther tripods’, characterised by a loop handle surmounted by panther’s head on a long, arching neck. The type is a subtype of a large group of foldable tripods with straight rectangular lower legs, on which slides were attached to movable braces, supporting the crowning parts on hooks. If during the classical Empire they were mainly produced in Gallia and in Italy, especially from the 4th century AD onwards, their main production centre was Egypt. A magnificent specimen was found in the royal tombs of Ballana, and like the horse harness, the weapons and the other luxurious objects within the graves, they were imported from Nubia. Other panther tripods and fragments are known, like the one in the Syracuse Museum, consisting of a handle and a panther’s head, together with sculptural groups from the top of the legs, each a centaur holding a cornucopia. Other similar specimens can be seen at Lyon (handle with panther); in the Douai Museum (a complete tripod found at Bavai) and a similar late Roman example from the so called burned palace of Madaba, dated to the 6th century AD.
Condition Report: Very fine condition.