Neptune, his trident held vertically in his left hand, rides right, on the waves in a biga [chariot] of Hippocamps. To the left and right, facing him, are two Porpoise-like sea monsters. On the reverse side (facing away from the Dome Area as displayed in the Museum), a pair of Tritons are swimming on the waves towards each other, paddles held in their left and right hands respectively; their heads are turned outwards, and they blow long, spiral shells, held with their free hands. The foot of this vase is composed of a series of dolphins, heads down and outwards, tails up to support the bottom of the bowl.

A parallel Piranesi type vase in the Museo Torlonia¹ shows similar representations of Neptune, Amphitrite, Tritons, etc.; for a large illustration of a Second century cinerary vase of similar elaborate shape, with the name plate flanked by the griffin-and-candelabra motive discussed in the note to Soane vase no. M839 (Vermeule 345), see Gusman².

The square base and the lid are definitely unantique as is probably the whole vase, except the pedestal below the break. The pedestal has been broken and repaired in the middle.

¹ P.E. Visconti, Catalogo del Museo Torlonia di Sculpture Antiche, Rome, 1883, no. 467, pl. CXX.
² P. Gusman, L'Art décoratif de Roma de la fin de la république au IV siècle, 2 vols, Paris, 1910, III, pl. 134.

Purchased at Lord Mendip’s Sale, 18 May 1802, Lot. 43, £21.0.0.

Soane, Description, 1830, p.84, fig. 50.