Lucerne with stamp "Strobili N". Rome, 1st - 3rd century AD.

Lucerne with stamp "Strobili N". Rome, 1st - 3rd century AD.
Terracotta.
Provenance: Charles Ede Gallery, London, UK. Private collection, Chicago, USA, acquired from the above on January 8, 1987.
Attached is a copy of the old purchase invoice from the Charles Ede Gallery.
Good state of preservation.
Measurements: 11.4 cm in length.

This Roman terracotta lucerne stands out for the sobriety of its design and, especially, for the presence of the "Strobili N" stamp, an element of great interest for its cataloguing. The workshop or manufacturer's marks on Roman skylights make it possible to relate these pieces to specific production and distribution circuits, turning an everyday object into a direct testimony of the craft and commercial organization of the Roman world.

The piece has a circular body, a front spout, two feeding holes and a small central motif in relief, with a well-preserved orange surface. Its shape corresponds to the models of lucerna widely diffused during the High Empire, used in domestic, funerary and ritual environments as a source of illumination.

This lucerne has an added documentary value due to its modern provenance: it passed through the Charles Ede Gallery, one of the London galleries of reference in classical antiquities, and was subsequently acquired by a private collection in Chicago in 1987. The preservation of the antique invoice significantly reinforces its traceability.