96 - A ROMAN ‘MOLOSSIAN HOUND’ WATERSPOUT, RED TERRACOTTA, 3RD-2ND CENTURY BC

A ROMAN ‘MOLOSSIAN HOUND’ WATERSPOUT, RED TERRACOTTA, 3RD-2ND CENTURY BC Scientific Analysis Report: A thermoluminescence analysis report issued by QED Laboratoire on 20 April 2026, based on sample number QED2616/FG-0501, determined that the firing dates of the two samples are consistent with the dating above. A copy of the report accompanies this lot. Southern Italy, Apulia. Naturalistically modeled, the hound depicted in a crouching stance with the forepaws extended forwards over the fluted mouth of the waterspout, the underside decorated as an elongated acanthus leaf. The torso of the animal is covered with a thick, mane-like coat, while the head is raised and fitted with a collar around the neck, identifying it as a domestic dog. The face is marked by a pair of bulging eyes with an alert forward gaze, a prominent muzzle with open mouth, and upright rounded ears. Provenance: The personal collection of Michel Maignan, Paris, France, and thence by descent. Michel Maignan (1940–2019) was a Paris-based auctioneer and collector with a longstanding interest in antiquities and historic works of art. Active as a commissaire-priseur in the Paris art market from at least the early 1970s, he conducted sales at the Hôtel Drouot encompassing antiquities, medieval and Renaissance works, as well as Art Nouveau and Art Deco objects. He was the grandson of Jules-Charles Maignan, director of the historic Maison Duvelleroy in the mid-twentieth century, and later played an important role in preserving its historic collections and in the revival of the house. A founding member of the Cercle de l’Éventail in 1985, he later served as its president. Condition: Good condition with expected wear, firing irregularities, traces of weathering, signs of prolonged burial, encrustations, small repairs to both ears, and minor chips. Two minuscule holes from sample-taking, one beneath the snout and the other along the lower edge at the rear of the waterspout. Weight: 1.4 kg (excl. stand), 2.2 kg (incl. stand) Dimensions: Height 21.2 cm (excl. stand), 26.3 cm (incl. stand) With a fitted acrylic stand. (2) This terracotta dog, likely made from a single mold, originally served as a waterspout in a private Roman house. Its function and architectural setting are confirmed by closely related examples from Pompeii and Herculaneum, where such fittings were preserved following the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. Arranged around the compluvium, the opening in the tiled roof of the atrium, sometimes alternating with lion-headed counterparts, they channeled rainwater into the impluvium below. The collared dog rests its forelegs above the opening, which is supported by acanthus leaves. It represents a Molossian hound, a breed originating in northwestern Greece and renowned in antiquity for its strength, courage, and ferocity, qualities that made such dogs particularly suitable as guardians of the household. With its upright ears and intensely focused expression, the present hound embodies precisely this role: an alert and formidable presence watching over the Roman home. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related Campanian terracotta waterspout in the form of a dog, dated to the early 1st century AD, 63 cm long, in the Princeton University Art Museum, object number y1989-51. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Sotheby’s London, 5 July 2022, lot 174 Price: GBP 10,710 or approx. EUR 15,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A terracotta water spout, Etruscan or South Italian, circa 4th century BC Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject and modeling, with similar facial features. Note the similar size (17.8 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Christie’s New York, 8 June 2012, lot 192 Price: USD 27,500 or approx. EUR 35,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A Roman terracotta waterspout, circa late 1st century BC-early 1st century AD Expert remark: Compare the related type of item, craftmanship, and material. Note the smaller size (14 cm).