Description:

Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A cast bronze lamp stand, made to hold a bronze or ceramic oil lamp in its upturned, shallow bowl. The feet of the lamp are shaped like lion's paws, with the legs bent deeply to form a tripod-like stand. From the raised center of the tripod, a thin cylinder of bronze, its body marked by deep vertical grooves, rises to support the bowl. This cylinder is studded with three rounded balls. Size: 8.45" W x 9.75" H (21.5 cm x 24.8 cm)

A stand like this one would have served as the main way to provide artificial lighting inside of a Roman house; many similar ones have been found at Pompeii, for example. Roman houses were furnished mainly with wood, and bronze and stone items would have been treasured and probably passed down through a family as heirlooms - hence the ancient repair we see on this example.

Provenance: private Davis collection, Houston, Texas, USA; ex-Gerhard Hirsch Nachfolger Auction 277-278, Munich, Germany, lot 923

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#132946

  • Condition: Repaired where the feet meet the central leg. Repaired where neck meets the central leg. Slight bending to form of bowl, which has signs of use including burning. Ancient repair inside the bowl (as shown in photos). One of the leaves from the foot is partially lost.

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April 26, 2018 7:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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