Lot 68
ROMAN BRONZE MIRROR
EUROPE, C. 1ST - 2ND CENTURY A.D.
Auction: 28 May 2026 from 13:00 BST
Description
bronze, a finely worked disc, with raised concentric bands along the border, deep green patination, raised on a bespoke mount
Dimensions
16cm diameter
Provenance
Private collection, United Kingdom, acquired prior to 2000
Bonhams, London, Antiquities, 1st April 2014, lot 107 (part)
Private collection, London, acquired at the above sale
Footnote
Roman bronze mirrors were typically circular or oval, polished to a reflective sheen, and sometimes set into intricately decorated frames made of wood, bone, or ivory. They were often carried as personal items by elite individuals and used in daily grooming rituals. Beyond their practical function, mirrors held a complex symbolic meaning in Roman society. The ability to see one’s reflection was linked not only to vanity and personal care but also to deeper philosophical and spiritual ideas about self-awareness, identity, and the soul.