Ancient Roman Amethyst Cosmetic jar
14
days
02
hours
12
minutes
01
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Current bid
€ 4
Reserve price not met
Expert
Selected by Peter Reynaers
Has nearly 30 years’ experience and moderated multiple online art research groups.
Estimate € 5,400 - € 6,600
20 other people are watching this object
 Bidder 8422 | €4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Bidder 6572 | €3 | |
 Bidder 3375 | €2 | |
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Ancient Roman amethyst cosmetic jar, hand-carved with a bulbous body, flaring rim and short neck, in very good condition and dating to the 1st–3rd century AD, height about 50.7 mm and maximum diameter about 51.2 mm, with a Certificate of Authenticity available upon request.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
Attention: due to customs regulations we can only ship inside the European Union. Please ensure you have a valid EU shipping address before placing a bid.
Ancient Roman small hand-carved amethyst cosmetic or unguent jar. The vessel has a rounded, bulbous body with gently curving shoulders and a slightly flaring foot. The thick, neatly shaped rim tapers into a short neck.
Hand-carved stone jars made from precious materials such as amethyst, rock crystal or alabaster were typically used as cosmetic or unguent containers. They stored perfumed oils, ointments, balms, cosmetic creams or medicinal preparations. The durability and non-porous nature of the stone helped protect these costly substances from spoiling.
The material shows attractive natural colour zoning, shifting from deep violet to soft lavender and smoky translucent grey, with cloudy inclusions and subtle natural fractures.
Height: ± 50,7 mm
Diameter: ± 51,2 mm maximum
Diameter base: ± 31,9 mm
Condition: very good and intact, with some surface wear and minor edge nibbling at the foot, consistent with age and use.
Certificate of Authenticity: available upon request (pdf-format).
A compact and beautifully shaped vessel, valued both for its craftsmanship and the natural beauty of the stone. The rounded body, thickly modelled rim and simple turned foot are more typical of Roman luxury cosmetic containers, especially those carved in rock crystal, amethyst or alabaster.
Seller's Story
Please read our information carefully.
*SHIPPING INFO Due to insurance procedures, combined shipping is only possible with a single payment. (1 payment reference = 1 insured parcel.) If you accept an offer after the auction and pay separately, shipments cannot be manually combined afterward. Please ensure your shipping address is complete and correct before paying. Changes made after payment are not automatically forwarded to us.
* CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY (COA) For insurance purposes we can provide a digital Certificate of Authenticity (PDF) for every item with a hammer price of Euro 100 or more. The COA is available upon request within 20 days of the auction date. Instructions will be provided when your order is shipped. Certificates are not included in the package.
* INSURANCE & CLAIMS All our parcels are shipped with external insurance. This insurance requires the following:
-> Monitor the online tracking and notify delays to the seller within 14 days after the shipping date.
-> In case of damage: write a reservation on the delivery note and report the damage to the seller via the Catawiki online chat within 24 hours. Keep all packaging and send us photos of the damage.
* IMPORTANT BUYERS OUTSIDE THE EU: We cannot ship to countries outside the European Union. Please ensure you have an EU shipping address before bidding. No exceptions can be made. Switzerland, Norway and the United Kingdom are not part of the EU.
* DOCUMENTATION NOTICE: Previous invoices and import/export documents will not be shared with customers.
----------------------
Thank you for your interest, and best of luck with your bids!
Attention: due to customs regulations we can only ship inside the European Union. Please ensure you have a valid EU shipping address before placing a bid.
Ancient Roman small hand-carved amethyst cosmetic or unguent jar. The vessel has a rounded, bulbous body with gently curving shoulders and a slightly flaring foot. The thick, neatly shaped rim tapers into a short neck.
Hand-carved stone jars made from precious materials such as amethyst, rock crystal or alabaster were typically used as cosmetic or unguent containers. They stored perfumed oils, ointments, balms, cosmetic creams or medicinal preparations. The durability and non-porous nature of the stone helped protect these costly substances from spoiling.
The material shows attractive natural colour zoning, shifting from deep violet to soft lavender and smoky translucent grey, with cloudy inclusions and subtle natural fractures.
Height: ± 50,7 mm
Diameter: ± 51,2 mm maximum
Diameter base: ± 31,9 mm
Condition: very good and intact, with some surface wear and minor edge nibbling at the foot, consistent with age and use.
Certificate of Authenticity: available upon request (pdf-format).
A compact and beautifully shaped vessel, valued both for its craftsmanship and the natural beauty of the stone. The rounded body, thickly modelled rim and simple turned foot are more typical of Roman luxury cosmetic containers, especially those carved in rock crystal, amethyst or alabaster.
Seller's Story
Please read our information carefully.
*SHIPPING INFO Due to insurance procedures, combined shipping is only possible with a single payment. (1 payment reference = 1 insured parcel.) If you accept an offer after the auction and pay separately, shipments cannot be manually combined afterward. Please ensure your shipping address is complete and correct before paying. Changes made after payment are not automatically forwarded to us.
* CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY (COA) For insurance purposes we can provide a digital Certificate of Authenticity (PDF) for every item with a hammer price of Euro 100 or more. The COA is available upon request within 20 days of the auction date. Instructions will be provided when your order is shipped. Certificates are not included in the package.
* INSURANCE & CLAIMS All our parcels are shipped with external insurance. This insurance requires the following:
-> Monitor the online tracking and notify delays to the seller within 14 days after the shipping date.
-> In case of damage: write a reservation on the delivery note and report the damage to the seller via the Catawiki online chat within 24 hours. Keep all packaging and send us photos of the damage.
* IMPORTANT BUYERS OUTSIDE THE EU: We cannot ship to countries outside the European Union. Please ensure you have an EU shipping address before bidding. No exceptions can be made. Switzerland, Norway and the United Kingdom are not part of the EU.
* DOCUMENTATION NOTICE: Previous invoices and import/export documents will not be shared with customers.
----------------------
Thank you for your interest, and best of luck with your bids!
Details
Culture
Ancient Roman
Century/ Timeframe
1st-3rd century AD
Name of object
Cosmetic jar
Acquired from
Dealer at a fair
Year acquired
2025
Material
Amethyst
Country acquired from
Netherlands
Condition
Good
Previous owner acquired from
Dealer at a fair
Previous owner - year acquired
2025
Previous owner - country acquired from
Netherlands
I verify that I have obtained this object legally and that I am allowed to sell it
Yes
Sold by
Disclaimer
The seller was informed by Catawiki about documentation requirements and guarantees the following: - the object was legally obtained, - the seller has the right to sell and/or export the object, as relevant, - the seller will provide the necessary provenance information and arrange required documentation and permits/licenses, as applicable and as per local laws, - the seller will notify the buyer of any delays in obtaining permits/licenses. By bidding, you acknowledge that import documentation may be required depending on your country of residence and that obtaining permits/licenses may cause delays in the delivery of your object.
The seller was informed by Catawiki about documentation requirements and guarantees the following: - the object was legally obtained, - the seller has the right to sell and/or export the object, as relevant, - the seller will provide the necessary provenance information and arrange required documentation and permits/licenses, as applicable and as per local laws, - the seller will notify the buyer of any delays in obtaining permits/licenses. By bidding, you acknowledge that import documentation may be required depending on your country of residence and that obtaining permits/licenses may cause delays in the delivery of your object.
