Three Latest Pottery Pickups

A few updates here.

My wife and I recently moved to TX and are still setting up house. Feels good to report that my display cabinets survived the move intact - glass and all. The cabinets are once again full with my collection of ancient weaponry and pottery, which also got here with no issues. (I personally drove the collection here.) Some recent pickups are below.

First, below, a late Roman/Early Byzantine lamp, c. 5th century AD. Mold-made, discus decorated with relief pattern, lug handle, red clay body with light deposits.



Another lamp, below, Greek, c. 3rd-1st century BC. Circular pedestal base, carinated body with lug on left side, elongated spout, some feint oxidized remnants of black glaze. Snagged this one for about $30 with shipping, which demonstrates that some good buys can still be had if the conditions are right - meaning that you are patient, you have some ability to gauge authenticity (or can at least eliminate obvious fakes from your searches), and can manage to find a private seller who doesn't know much about the ancient material that they happen to be selling (alongside modern stuff) - nor about its market value - and who is willing to accept a low ball offer.



And a just-received (today, from CNG) jug from Magna Graecia, ex-Sand Collection, 6th-4th century BC. Tall footless jug with single handle and flared rim, red-orange glaze, white deposits. Body has a spiral etched line pattern, some flaws as made.

It's good to hear that the move went well and there were no breakages, Bob. That will have been a relief.

The three latest pieces are really neat, and it shows that the trained eye can still pick up some excellent buys such as the carinated body lamp.

Know nothing of these, but a most interesting thread.

Bob, after going down a bit of a rabbit hole on the interwebs, yes it does seem like the side lug might have been designed to improve handle-ability (specifically for the right hand, when supinated--such as when holding a lit lamp out in front of you). I also found some mention of holed lugs being used as hanging points for when the lamp was not being used. Fascinating!

Another little lamp, just arrived today. Interesting horseshoe shaped handle on this one. Decent amount of the black glaze remaining.



Greek
4th century BC
97 mm (l) x 54.6 mm (w)
(3.8" x 2.15")

Very cool collection, enjoyed seeing them. I have a few ancient oil lamps including one Herodian (Judaea) and one late Roman with a Chi-Rho.

I have a couple Roman glass. One intact. The other was intact but the top broke off when I was moving it, my fault. So I'm glad your pieces survived the move.

Thanks, guys.

Dave, I see some tiny specks of glaze on the handle's interior, suggesting there was fuller coverage in antiquity. Examples of similar lamps that I've seen online sometimes have more intact glaze, including on the interior of the handle. Here's one:
https://www.faganarms.com/cdn/shop/...v=1720983727