Description:

Roman, Imperial period, ca. 1st to 2nd century CE. A fine silver hair pin with a hand finial holding a pomegranate and wearing a bracelet. This is the type of hair pin which would have been one of many owned by a wealthy lady of the first and second centuries in ancient Rome and Roman Britain. Hair pins were crafted from every material, from wood and bone to silver and gold. Hairstyles of this era were high and complex, and ladies of wealth would stack their curls with dozens of these pins. The tops of these decorative pins were displayed, as they were beautifully made, and take the form of three-dimensional figures. Here, we have a lady's hand holding a pomegranate. The pomegranate was a symbol of fertility in Roman culture and was associated with ladies of child-bearing age. The symbol of a hand holding a pomegranate goes back to ancient Greece. Size: 5.375" L (13.7 cm)

Please note that this piece is a dropship item, meaning that it will be shipping from the consignor’s location. All information regarding condition, size, and metal content have been provided by the consignor.

Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA; ex-Arte Primitivo, New York, New York, USA, lot 493; ex-Fleischman collection, New York, New York, USA, gifted by Chris Bastis in the 1980s to 1990s, to family by descent

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#187306

  • Condition: Light, age-commensurate surface wear as shown, but otherwise intact and excellent with patina to surface.

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July 9, 2024 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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