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Barnebys HQ
Brahegatan 10
BOX 5038
114 37 Stockholm
All auctions / Ancient Art / Ancient Roman
Wear piece of history, not just jewelry Roman Imperial Bronze Sewing Thimble – Hand-Punched Textile Tool – Remarkable Collector’s Piece – ca. 1st–3rd Century AD Object Type: Sewing Thimble / Finger Guard Culture: Roman Imperial Period: Roman Imperial Period, ca. 1st–3rd Century AD Material: Bronze Technique: Formed and Hand-Finished; Individually Punched Indentations Form: Closed Domed Crown with Slightly Flared Cylindrical Body Decoration: Dense Horizontal Registers of Hand-Punched Dimples; Circumferential Basal Groove Functional Context: Sewing, Textile and Leather Working Stylistic Context: Roman Domestic and Craft Equipment Condition: Well-Preserved; Strong Dark Patina, Surface Deposits and Clearly Preserved Punched Pattern Dimensions Height: 22.77 mm ± Width: 17.95 mm ± Weight: 3.35 g If requested prior to dispatch, a Cultural and Iconographic Assessment Certificate will be prepared as a physical hard copy and included with the shipment. Every shipment is fully insured. The photographs were taken under warm, museum-inspired lighting to present the object's surface and historical character naturally, and any cords, attachment rings or other accessories visible in the images serve exclusively as display aids and are not included with the artefact. Description This finely preserved bronze thimble belongs to the practical equipment associated with textile and needlework in the Roman world. Its closed domed crown and slightly expanding cylindrical body are covered by closely arranged registers of individually punched depressions, providing purchase for the needle while protecting the fingertip. A narrow circumferential groove articulates the lower edge. Roman bronze thimbles are represented in major institutional collections: the British Museum records a Roman example dated to the 1st–3rd century AD, while the Science Museum preserves a 22 mm bronze Roman thimble—remarkably close to the present object's 22.77 mm height. An especially evocative archaeological parallel comes from ancient Nicaea, modern İznik. A metal thimble was discovered during excavations at the lakeside basilica identified with the Church of Saint Neophytos, an archaeological site closely associated with investigations concerning the First Council of Nicaea. Although that particular excavated thimble belongs to a later archaeological horizon, its discovery provides a remarkable contextual parallel for the long-lived presence of this distinctive object type at one of the most historically significant centres of the Roman and Early Christian world. The present example is distinguished by its dense hand-punched surface, compact proportions and surviving archaeological patina, giving it a particularly evocative character as a collector's piece of ancient craftsmanship. Information The presentation and sale of this object are conducted in accordance with principles of transparency, scholarly consistency, and good faith, and no object is knowingly presented as a copy or imitation. The object has been documented using high-resolution imaging equipment, with its physical structure and form left entirely unaltered; only limited color-balance adjustments have been applied to ensure visual accuracy. As high-resolution imagery may influence the perception of scale, the photographs should always be considered together with the stated measurements. All statements concerning dating, intended function, symbolic or iconographic interpretation, and material identification represent high-probability academic assessments based on typological analysis, comparative examples from museum collections, and expert opinion; definitive verification would require advanced laboratory analysis beyond the scope of the sales process. Upon request prior to shipment, a signed ownership document issued in the buyer’s name may also be provided. If requested prior to dispatch, the Cultural and Iconographic Assessment Certificate will be prepared as a physical hard copy and included with the shipment.
Estimate:£129.01
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Estimate:
£129.01
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HELLENO-ROMAN BRONZE LEFT FOREARM OF A BOXER WEARING A CAESTUS
06/21/2026
£10,000
Est: £10,000
