Lot 157A

Roman Bronze & Copper Fibulae - Knee-Form & Bow Brooches

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Lot 157
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Roman Bronze & Copper Fibulae - Knee-Form & Bow Brooches
Roman Bronze & Copper Fibulae - Knee-Form & Bow Brooches
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Roman Bronze & Copper Fibulae - Knee-Form & Bow Brooches

Estimate: $800 - $1,200

Starting Bid: $400

(0 Bids)
by Artemis Fine Arts
August 6, 2026 9:00 AM MDT
Live Auction
686 S. Taylor Avenue
Suite 108
Louisville, CO, US 80027

Roman, Imperial period; Late Roman to Byzantine, ca. 100–600 CE. A pair of ancient garment brooches, both once the working clasps that pinned a cloak or tunic at the shoulder. The smaller, cast in leaded bronze, follows the compact knee-form so favored by the soldiers and provincial officials of the Imperial age: a sharply angled bow rising from a semicylindrical head and descending to a footplate that once cradled the pin. Its companion, worked in copper, arches in a graceful sprung bow embellished with fine incised chevrons and hatching along the arms, terminating in a long catchplate. Together they trace the evolution of Roman personal adornment across centuries, from the utilitarian military hardware of the frontier legions to the decorative sensibility of the late antique world. Functional objects, they were nonetheless markers of status, rank, and identity. Size of larger: 0.54" W x 0.9" H x 2.7" D (1.4 cm W x 2.3 cm H x 6.9 cm D).

The knee-brooch (Kniefibel) takes its name from its sharply bent profile, resembling a flexed knee. It emerged in the later second century CE and became strongly associated with the Roman military and administrative classes, appearing widely across the northern and Danubian provinces. The bow fibula, with its longer sprung form and incised ornament, belongs to a lineage that persisted into the late antique and early Byzantine centuries, when such brooches remained essential fasteners for the heavy cloaks of both civilians and soldiers. Both types operated on the same principle as the modern safety pin: a spring-loaded pin caught within a guarded catchplate.

Please note that the more petite brooch contains up to 36% lead.

Provenance: private Marysville, Washington, USA collection; ex-private Seattle, Washington, USA collection, acquired 1970-2000 via US and online auctions

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Item # 204065

  • Condition: Pins of both are stuck inhibiting wear. Pin of knee brooch is slightly pent. Weathering and abrasions throughout, commensurate with age. Otherwise, both are intact and very nice with rich patinas and good remaining detail.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000