Ancient Roman, Empire Bronze Fibula, rare type Bow (No reserve price)
02
days
07
hours
42
minutes
32
seconds
Current bid
€ 35
No reserve price
Expert
Selected by Peter Reynaers
Has nearly 30 years’ experience and moderated multiple online art research groups.
Estimate € 150 - € 200
41 other people are watching this object
 Bidder 2307 | €35 | |
|---|---|---|
| Bidder 7744 | €30 | |
 Bidder 6733 | €25 | |
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Ancient Roman bronze bow fibula of a rare type, 48 mm long and 18.6 mm wide, dating to the 2nd–3rd century AD, with a strongly arched bow, a wavy S‑shape motif, a raised border, a coiled head spring and a foot that curves upward, in good condition and complete with spring and pin.
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 bronze bow fibula (brooch), featuring a strongly arched bow, decorated with a repeating wavy S-shape motif which is framed by a raised border. Coiled spring at the head of the fibula, the foot curves gently upward.
Rare type!
Length: ± 48 mm
Width: ± 18,6 mm
Condition: good solid condition, complete with spring and pin (rigid). No catchplate present, or lost. Attractive dark patina and spots with mineral accretions and surface encrustation, consistent with age and use.
Certificate of Authenticity (PDF) is available upon request for lots with a hammer price of €100 or higher.
Ancient Romans appreciated complex jewellery designs and used a wide range of materials. Fibulae were worn by both men and women, often richly decorated. Fibulae are found in a large variety of styles, from strictly functional to very elaborate designs with colourful enamels or incorporating zoomorphic figures.
The lower classed Romans used imitations of glass or various metal alloys to reduce the cost of manufacture while displaying their social status.
Roman men typically wore one or more finger rings and fibulae. Jewellery was of particular importance to women in Roman society. They had the right to buy, sell or barter their jewellery independently as it was considered their own personal property. Jewellery for children not only showed the wealth and social status of the parents, it often included amulets to protect the children from illness and ward off evil forces.
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 bronze bow fibula (brooch), featuring a strongly arched bow, decorated with a repeating wavy S-shape motif which is framed by a raised border. Coiled spring at the head of the fibula, the foot curves gently upward.
Rare type!
Length: ± 48 mm
Width: ± 18,6 mm
Condition: good solid condition, complete with spring and pin (rigid). No catchplate present, or lost. Attractive dark patina and spots with mineral accretions and surface encrustation, consistent with age and use.
Certificate of Authenticity (PDF) is available upon request for lots with a hammer price of €100 or higher.
Ancient Romans appreciated complex jewellery designs and used a wide range of materials. Fibulae were worn by both men and women, often richly decorated. Fibulae are found in a large variety of styles, from strictly functional to very elaborate designs with colourful enamels or incorporating zoomorphic figures.
The lower classed Romans used imitations of glass or various metal alloys to reduce the cost of manufacture while displaying their social status.
Roman men typically wore one or more finger rings and fibulae. Jewellery was of particular importance to women in Roman society. They had the right to buy, sell or barter their jewellery independently as it was considered their own personal property. Jewellery for children not only showed the wealth and social status of the parents, it often included amulets to protect the children from illness and ward off evil forces.
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, Empire
Century/ Timeframe
2nd-3rd century AD
Name of object
rare type Bow, Fibula
Acquired from
Dealer at a fair
Year acquired
2025
Material
Bronze
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.
