Description:

Roman, Imperial period, found near Newbury, Berkshire, England, ca. 1st century CE. A fine leaded bronze brooch, classified as a rare Aucissa variant - the 4th only known from Britain with a knobbed equal-ended bow. Fibulae or brooches were originally used in Ancient Greece and in the Roman Empire for fastening garments, such as cloaks or togae. The fibula designs developed into a variety of shapes, but all were based on the safety-pin principle. The Aucissa fibula is a design which started being popular around the 1st Century BC. It features a high semi-circular arched bow, extending into a short foot, and hinged pins held in a narrow tube. Many recovered Aucissa fibulae have the word “AVCISSA” incised to the head, thought to be the name of a workshop where many were produced; others feature an incised linear or zig-zag motif. Note faint remains of an inscription on the head of this example. Size: 1" W x 2.2" H (2.5 cm x 5.6 cm); 3.3" H (8.4 cm) on included custom stand.

This piece has been published in "Ancient brooches and other artefacts: a fourth selection of brooches together with some other antiquities from the author's collection" by Richard Hattatt (Oxford: Oxbow, 1989), number 1495.

Provenance: ex-Royal Athena Galleries, New York City, New York, USA, acquired in London in December 1990; ex-Richard Hattatt collection

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#179532

  • Condition: Missing bottom tang, 1 bottom knob, 2 top knobs, hinge, and pin. Chipping to top periphery and surface wear as shown. Rich patina throughout and most of overall form preserved. Set on display stand with typed description.

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February 9, 2024 8:00 AM MST
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Artemis Fine Arts

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