Description:

Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 4th century CE. A leaded copper spoon known as a cochlearium, designed specifically for eating snails or shellfish; cochlea is Latin for "snail." The bowl is shaped like a rounded flask in cross section and is joined to the handle with a decorative neck that features two ribbed, spherical bulbs. The handle narrows into a point at the end for use as a pick to extract gastropods from their shells. By the 1st century BCE snails had become a popular dish throughout Rome, and many villas had garden pens to raise these gastropods. Pliny the Elder even recorded that the first Roman snail farmer developed an irrigation or misting system to keep the snails properly hydrated! There are dozens of snail recipes from this era, and cochlearium spoons such as this example were certainly necessary utensils for dining! Size: 6.25" L x 1" W (15.9 cm x 2.5 cm)

Provenance: ex-Davis collection, Houston, Texas, USA, acquired before 2013 from various auction houses in London and New York

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.

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.

#133063

  • Condition: Surface abrasions and nicks commensurate with age and use, otherwise intact and very good. Light mineral deposits and areas of dark patina and toning.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

Shipping

Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense

November 4, 2021 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 30.5% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000