By Nick Griffiths

Last updated at 12:13, Monday, 10 September 2012

A Roman parade cavalry helmet that fetched more than £2.2m at auction after it was unearthed in Cumbria is going on public display for the first time.

Bought: Crosby Garrett Helmet

The Crosby Garrett Helmet, named after the village near Appleby where it was discovered by a metal detector enthusiast in May 2010, is one of the stars of a new show in London.

After the helmet was found, historians at Carlisle’s Tullie House Museum launched a fundraising campaign and bid up to £1.7m for the helmet.

But in October 2010 it was snapped up for £2,281,250 by an anonymous bidder at auction at Christie’s in London and it has since been under wraps in a private collection. It is o go on display in the capital at the Royal Academy in a show on bronze, featuring works spanning 5,000 years. The helmet, which is almost 2,000 years old, joins “the best bronzes” from Asia, Africa and Europe in the new show.

Sculptures by Rodin, Picasso, Giacometti, Henry Moore, Jeff Koons and Anish Kapoor have been loaned from around the world to the Royal Academy for its “landmark exhibition”, entitled Bronze. Bronze runs at the Royal Academy Of Arts from September 15 to December 9.

First published at 11:30, Monday, 10 September 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk