Ancient Roman Silver Surgical / Medical Tool
19
days
23
hours
34
minutes
30
seconds
Starting bid
€ 1
Reserve price not met
Expert
Selected by Peter Reynaers
Has nearly 30 years’ experience and moderated multiple online art research groups.
Estimate € 210 - € 250
No bids placed
Catawiki Buyer Protection
Your payment’s safe with us until you receive your object.View details
Trustpilot 4.4 | 144916 reviews
Rated Excellent on Trustpilot.
An original Ancient Roman silver-alloy medical or cosmetic implement, dated to the 2nd–4th century AD, with a slender grooved handle and a curved, ornamented spatulate terminal.
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.
Roman silver alloy surgical / medical scalpel or cosmetic implement with a long, slender handle and a curved spatulate terminal with triangular ornamentation on both sides. Two purposely rounded concave shapes may have facilitated controlled scraping, spreading or blunt manipulation. Groups of encircling grooves decorate the handle to improve the grip. The handle terminates in a small rounded finial.
-> Spatulas and related probes were among the most frequently used instruments in Roman medicine. They could be employed for preparing, mixing and applying ointments or powdered medicaments, while closely related implements were also used for cosmetics and personal grooming.
Length: ± 116.3 mm
Condition: very good and solid condition. Signs of wear consistent with age and use.
Certificate of Authenticity: available upon request (pdf-format).
-> Roman medical and cosmetic instruments often shared similar forms, making a strict distinction between surgical, pharmaceutical and personal-care tools difficult. Their finely shaped terminals and carefully decorated handles nevertheless demonstrate that even practical instruments could receive considerable attention from the metalworker.
Catawiki disclaimer:
This object has been carefully examined for its material and surface characteristics.
Laboratory analysis (e.g. XRF) is not routinely undertaken in private collecting, and destructive testing is avoided as it causes permanent damage to archaeological material.
Before modern hallmarking, gold and silver alloys varied depending on local resources, recycling practices and economic conditions.
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.
* MARGIN SCHEME: All our sales are subject to the margin scheme; therefore, no VAT is charged or shown on our invoices.
* 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.
Roman silver alloy surgical / medical scalpel or cosmetic implement with a long, slender handle and a curved spatulate terminal with triangular ornamentation on both sides. Two purposely rounded concave shapes may have facilitated controlled scraping, spreading or blunt manipulation. Groups of encircling grooves decorate the handle to improve the grip. The handle terminates in a small rounded finial.
-> Spatulas and related probes were among the most frequently used instruments in Roman medicine. They could be employed for preparing, mixing and applying ointments or powdered medicaments, while closely related implements were also used for cosmetics and personal grooming.
Length: ± 116.3 mm
Condition: very good and solid condition. Signs of wear consistent with age and use.
Certificate of Authenticity: available upon request (pdf-format).
-> Roman medical and cosmetic instruments often shared similar forms, making a strict distinction between surgical, pharmaceutical and personal-care tools difficult. Their finely shaped terminals and carefully decorated handles nevertheless demonstrate that even practical instruments could receive considerable attention from the metalworker.
Catawiki disclaimer:
This object has been carefully examined for its material and surface characteristics.
Laboratory analysis (e.g. XRF) is not routinely undertaken in private collecting, and destructive testing is avoided as it causes permanent damage to archaeological material.
Before modern hallmarking, gold and silver alloys varied depending on local resources, recycling practices and economic conditions.
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.
* MARGIN SCHEME: All our sales are subject to the margin scheme; therefore, no VAT is charged or shown on our invoices.
* 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
2nd-4th century AD
Name of object
Surgical / Medical Tool
Acquired from
Dealer at a fair
Year acquired
2026
Material
Silver
Country acquired from
Netherlands
Condition
Good
Previous owner acquired from
Dealer at a fair
Previous owner - year acquired
2026
Previous owner - country acquired from
Netherlands
I verify that I have obtained this object legally and that I am allowed to sell it
Yes
Authenticity
Original/official
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.
