20-05-2025
Emperor bust used as novelty hat stand was genuine Roman artefact...worth £160k
A bust of a Roman emperor carved 1,800 years ago, bought by a Scottish laird before being used as a garden ornament has sold for £162,000.
The vendors had no idea the 2ft tall marble piece depicting emperor Septimius Severus was an original carving.
It was made in the late 2nd century for a Roman nobleman.
The bust was brought back from Italy in the 18th century by Lord Kinnaird of Rossie Priory, Perthshire. He had a passion for antiquities an acquired it during his Grand Tour.
It was later owned by the late artist Edward Halliday and then passed down to his daughter.
In 2016 she gave it as a present to the vendors who were close friends of hers.
It had been kept in their back garden for nine years and they even used it as a quirky hat stand.
The couple recently took the bust into Toovey's Auctioneers of Washington, West Sussex.
Expert Will Rowsell studied the bust and realised it was an original carving.
He said: 'It was quite clear that this wasn't an 18th century copy and that it was a really important piece dating to the late second century.
'The degradation to the surface and the feel of it was enough to tell me it was second or third century.
'It would have been made for a nobleman who was loyal to the emperor to have in their palace, much like someone would have a portrait of a king or queen.
'It is very heavy, it took three of us to lift it.
'The vendors had kept it in their garden. When the Halliday family had it they took to putting various hats on it and the vendors carried that tradition on.'
Mr Rowsell said the unnamed couple were 'pleasantly surprised' when they were told the pre-sale estimate for it would be between £40,000 to £60,000.
But bidding on the bust took off and the hammer came down on a price of £110,000. With fees added on the winning bidder paid £162,000 for it.
He said: 'The vendors aren't rich so this has come as a lovely surprise for them.'
The bust depicts Emperor Severus with a forked beard, wavy hair with four flowing locks at the forehead, almond-shaped eyes and articulated pupils.
