**First Time At Auction**

Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A highly decorative, cast bronze lamp stand, made to hold a bronze or ceramic oil lamp. It once would have had a tall pole rising from its center from which the lamp would hang. The feet of the lamp are shaped like horse hooves, with the legs bent deeply to form a tripod-like stand. Above the legs is a large platform, decorated with incised scrollwork motifs. Rising from the platform is the base where the pole could be inserted. Size: 13" W x 9.8" H (33 cm x 24.9 cm)

A stand like this one would have served as the main way to provide artificial lighting inside of a Roman house; many similar ones have been found at Pompeii, for example. Roman houses were furnished mainly with wood, and bronze and stone items would have been treasured and probably passed down through a family as heirlooms.

See a less ornate example at the Metropolitan Museum of Art: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/248087

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection

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#139579

Beautiful dark patina on surface. Slight bending to form. Part of one side of the lower platform is lost. Small areas of loss around the edges of the pole attachment. Legs and upper part of attachment are slightly bent, but the piece stands nicely on its own. Rich deep green, mottled patina over the surface.