Small Marble Head Depicting a Roman Soldier

[Sandmaniac]

Beach find from years ago. Detector picked up the brass fitting inserted into the base which I believe is a crude modern day attempt at a repair. None of my finds over the past 20 years has intrigued me as much.

Enjoy

 

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[Tony in SC]

Is the brass piece in the bottom threaded? My first thought was valve stem cap?

 

[Sandmaniac]

Yes, it's encrusted but you can see threads.

 

[Sandmaniac]

 

[Sandmaniac]

Here's the back where you can really make out the helmet.

 

[xr7ator]

I don't see any soldier or a helmet. I do see a brass object that was in the ocean long enough to get encrusted. I hope I'm wrong and it's some valuable object!

 

[Sandmaniac]

I never thought of it as having any value. Some of the cuts in the stone roused my curiosity is all. The drill holes, the eyes slots, the right ear flap (left is broken off} There seems to be a mouth guard as well. In the back on the bottom of the neck looks to me like grooves in the armor for added flexibility......or you could be correct in implying that it's just my imagination.

 

[unclemac]

have to agree..... there is something under all that accumulation, identify the brass object and you will know more. Does the surface want to crumble off in places?

 

[Sandmaniac]

Funny you should ask. When I first found it I whacked it with a hammer and it didn't even chip, this is before I noticed the details. I don't think there's anything underneath, I think the stone itself was carved. In addition, although it's rather large, I believe the hole on the top once held a crest.

 

[Plug N Play]

The bottom-right soldier is metal.

The rest are a composite material used by Dunning Industries to make lamps.
Running brass through heads was their thing in 1971.
Perhaps something of this nature got to rolling around on the beach ?

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

I'm curious as to the measurements of this piece?
Depending on how big it is, it may be the top of a walking stick.
Dave

 

[Sandmaniac]

The lamp definitely explains the holes and the reason for the fitting. The walking stick with the bulldog is perfect for a size comparison because it shows a hand for scale. That's spot on and it screwed on to something.

 

[Fat]

It reminds me of a tip from a hand sprayer.

 

[Sandmaniac]

 

[Mine Shaft]

Take your time and start chipping away little by little. There is a U tube video of a Crab fossil encrusted in stone it is interesting the way he cleaned the stone away to expose the Crab. Good luck. What is the size of the brass thing ?

 

[Sandmaniac]

Lamp finial brass base/fitting

 

[Mine Shaft]

Also i would think that took a long long time to encrust that thing in stone.

 

[Mine Shaft]

Small vintage candle holder ?

 

[Mine Shaft]

What is the inside diameter of the hole ?

 

[cudamark]

Maybe a shift knob off a vehicle?