Lot 51
Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A fine example of a cast-bronze ceremonial ladle with a shallow, hemispherical bowl and a lengthy handle that terminates in the head of a swan. The ladle - known as a simpulum or simpuvium - was used to craft libations and to taste wines and liquors that were poured on the heads of sacrificial victims. Ladles like this example were also more generally used as a utensil, and its image is shown in banqueting scenes on Greek and Italian vases aiding in the distribution of wine into cups. The style of this example - with the round bowl and handle ending in an avian head - was a traditional type that lasted from the Greeks and Etruscans into the later periods of the Roman Empire. Size: 2.3" W x 10.4" H (5.8 cm x 26.4 cm); 11.4" H (29 cm) on included custom stand.
Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired before 2010
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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.
#157500
- Condition: Slight bending to overall form of handle, with softening to some finer details, and light encrustations along handle, swan head, and scoop, otherwise intact and very good. Nice earthen deposits and great patina throughout.
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