Roman 1st–2nd cent. A.D. Bronze.

H. 2 1/4 in; 5.7 cm

The panther crouches on its hindlegs pressed close to its body, proudly righting itself on its fully stretched forelegs. Head accentuated in part by the small, flattened ears and deeply engraved eyelids around the eyeballs but mainly by the wide-open mouth. Round drill hole inside mouth opening. The finely sculpted and naturalistic-looking body with tail laid alongside the right hindleg was further endowed with tiny incised lines representing fur. The round attachment piece under the rear end is connected by a drill hole to the mouth opening. The drill hole through the body and attachment piece suggests that it was originally a figural spout, perhaps from a vessel or a small fountain.
 

Tail slightly worn; notching on right foreleg presumably from casting; Otherwise intact.

Swiss priv. coll. D. E., Basel. Formerly in German priv. coll., since the 1970s.