A Marble Strigillated Lion Sarcophagus, Roman Imperial, 3rd Century A.D.

of rectangular form with rounded ends, one end boldly carved in relief with a lion attacking a boar, the other end with a lion attacking an antelope(?), a tree behind each scene.

the financier Henry W. Poor (1844-1915), New York, most likely acquired from or through Stanford White, who designed and decorated his house (American Art Association, New York, Illustrated Catalogue of the Valuable Artistic Furnishings and Interior Decorations of the Residence of Henry W. Poor, Esq., No. 1 Lexington Avenue, Gramercy Park, New York City, April 21st-24th, 1909, no. 15, illus.)
Harold F. McCormick (1872-1941), Villa Turicum, Lake Forest, Illinois, acquired at the above sale by his architect Charles Adam Platt (1861-1933), New York
Michael Tauber & Company, Chicago, American Art Association, Anderson Galleries, New York, Contents of the residences of the late Edith Rockefeller McCormick at 1000 Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, Ill., and Villa Turicum, Lake Forest, Ill: French furniture and other furnishings, books, linens and laces, porcelains, silver and other objects; also a Rolls Royce Brougham, Sold by order of the Chicago title and trust company, executor, January 20th, 1934, no. 1002, illus.

David Lowe, Chicago Interiors: Views of a Splendid World, Chicago, 1979, p. 142, no. 73, illus.

Reconstructed from several fragments. Restored in marble are half of the back, the rounded end on the right side including the upper body of the lion and the tree, a small section of the bottom and three small areas of the front, all visible as darker fragments in the black and white photographs published in the catalogue. Surface slightly weathered overall, more so on the lion heads, snout of boar fragmentary, the old iron clamps used to repair the sarcophagus the first time, probably in the 17th or 18th century, have now mostly been removed. Various drain holes at bottom and walls of sarcophagus show that it was once used as a fountain. The custom-made metal base upon which the sarcophagus currently rests is essential to the structural integrity of the object and should under no circumstances be removed. Also sold with a custom-made protective fiberglass case.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

For related examples see Jutta Stroszeck, Löwen-Sarkophage. Sarkophage mit Löwenkopfen, schreitende Löwen und Löwen-kampfgruppen, Berlin, 1988. Also see Sotheby's, New York, June 7th, 2007, no. 78, and December 5th, 2007, no. 83, for fragmentary examples.

On Stanford White's interior decoration work for Henry Poor's house in New York City see Wayne Craven, Stanford White: Decorator in Opulence and Dealer in Antiquities, New York, 2005, pp. 181ff. On Charles A. Platt's work for Harold McCormick, see Lowe, op. cit.