Italic bronze belt of a warrior
€3,100
available
Object number
AR3238
| Object: |
Italic bronze belt
|
| Material: |
Bronze.
|
| Period: |
4th century BC. Period before Romes expansion into Italy. |
| Description: |
Wide bronze belt made by the Samnites. The borders decorated by bands of holes. One end with two riveted attachment loops. The other end has six holes to adjust the circumference of the closed belt in three steps. The belt was once cushioned on the inside and on the rims along the outside. The quality bronze work was part of a Samnite warrior's gear. Such belts are known from contemporary paintings, as well as from warrior graves, that were equipped with a set of military equipment including a belt. The piece gives a nice impression of a cultural aspect of this independent Italic cultures, before it came into conflict with Rome in its territory around today's Napoli in South Italy. |
| Dimensions: |
Approx. 67cm circumference. 7.6cm width. In the current state, i.e. slightly opened and no tension on the metal, 26cm x 24cm.
|
| Condition: |
Wonderful preservation of the bronze, outside cleaned. The belt is partially bent beneath its natural radius, with only slight damages. Small chips at the rims, more significant damages at the rim have been professionally filled and repaired. The inner side of the belt has been professionally stabilized by a fabric of glass fibres. All in all a very nice piece. On the inside there are remains of a previous mounting, as well as two sticker from the Guttmann collection reading "Ag R 26" and "AG 126".
|
| Provenance: |
Acquired by us in 2021 at the Paris art market. This piece is from an auction by Hermann Historica, Germany, 11 April 2008, lot 357. Previously in the estate of the Axel Guttmann collection, inv. no. R 26/AG 126. Acquired into the collection in 1990 in Krefeld, Germany. Possibly from the local art dealer Helmut Liebert who was well known at the time. Axel Guttmann built his impressive private collection of ancient weapons between 1982 and 2001. He focusssed on the Mediterranean between the emergence of bronze weapons until the end of the Western Roman empire. It was the largest and highest quality private collection of ancient weapons during its time. Publish the vast material required the renowned publishing house Philipp von Zabern a total of eigth volumes that came out between 1991 and 2001. After Guttmann's early death his collection was passed on to a new generation of collectors by the means of various auctions from 2003 to 2010. |
| References: |
Cf. Metropolitan Museum of Art, acc. no. 08.3a. Cf. Museum of Fine Arts Budapest, inv. no. 68.22.1-2.A. |
| Literature: |
F. S. Knauss, C. Gliwitzky, Samnium und die Samniten, Roms letzter Rivale (Staatliche Antikensammlungen und Glyptothek Muenchen, 2022).
|
| Authenticity: |
We unconditionally guarantee the authenticity of every artefact, all items are subject to our lifetime return policy on authenticity.
|