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12 décembre 2010

Ancient Roman Jewelry @ Christie's New Yok

01

Three Roman gold-mounted sardonyx cameos. Circa 1st-2nd century A.D. and 3rd century  A.D.  Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

All once serving as the central element of an elaborate necklace of the 3rd century, each cameo mounted in an oval bezel with a pierced-work palmette frame, joined to each other by hooks and loops, an additional hook above the central element, centered by a large stone, carved in three layers, brown on white on dark brown, with a portrait bust of the young Emperor Nero, circa 54-59 A.D., in profile to the right, wearing a cuirass below a paludamentum pinned on his right shoulder by a small circular brooch, a laurel wreath in his wavy hair, the ties hanging behind, the hair and costume exploiting the brown layer of the stone, the face and neck white, the background dark brown; to the left a cameo of a lion, circa late 2nd-early 3rd century, carved in three layers, brown on white on blue-black, the beast walking to the right on a short groundline, his head lowered and turned out slightly to his right, with a full mane and articulated eyes; and to the right a cameo of Victoria driving a quadriga, circa 2nd century, carved in three layers, brown on white on blue-black, the goddess winged, wearing a high-belted tunic, holding the reins in her right hand and a palm branch in her raised left hand, the horses all rearing, the nearer with its head turned out to its right
5 in. (13.3 cm.) wide (3). Estimate $150,000 - $250,000. Price Realized $146,500

Provenance: with Phoenix Ancient Art, New York, mid 1990s.
Anonymous sale; Christie's New York, 7 December 2006, lot 256.

Notes: During the later Roman Empire jewelers frequently re-used older stones in their work. What is extraordinary in this case is that the central element displays a magnificent 1st century A.D. cameo of a youthful Emperor Nero, whose memory had been officially condemned (damnatio memoriae) at the end of his tumultuous reign. This suggests that by the 3rd century, when the cameo was remounted, either that his physiognomy was no longer recognized, or that his popularity endured despite his condemnation.

For related cameos of the youthful Nero, sculpted when he was less than twenty years of age, see the examples in Paris and Bonn, nos. A93 and A94 in Megow, Kameen von Augustus bis Alexander Severus, and no. 59 in Henig, The Content Family Collection of Ancient Cameos. For a cameo of Victoria, driving a biga rather than a quadriga as here, see no. 135 in Henig, op. cit.; and for a similar cameo of a lion, see no. 165 in the same publication. For pierced-work jewelry with palmette frames see pp. 109-135 in Yeroulanou, Diatrita, Gold pierced-work jewellery from the 3rd to the 7th century.

01

A Roman sardonyx cameo of Minerva. Julio-Claudian period , circa 1st century A.D. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

Sculpted in four layers, the goddess in profile to the left, her face and shoulder in white, her eye articulated, her crested helmet and aegis in brown, the helmet ornamented in relief with Victoria driving a chariot to the left in white and light brown, a lion head on the neck-guard in dark brown, her long wavy hair flowing onto her shoulder, the scaley aegis centered by a frontal Gorgoneion in white, with snakes projecting before her breast; mounted as a brooch in a 19th century gold setting
1 13/16 in. (4.6 cm.) long. Estimate $40,000 - $-60,000. Price Realized $60,000

Provenance: Private Collection, U.S., acquired in the 1960s.

Notes: For the style compare the sardonyx cameo with profile busts of Agrippina I and II, no. 110 in Vollenweider and Avisseau-Broustet, Camées et intailles, Tome II, Les Portraits romains du Cabinet des médailles. For a cameo bust of Minerva with similar attributes see no. 117 in the same publication.

01

A gold necklace and earrings with eighteen Roman and Sasanian etched carnelian ringstones. circa 1st-7th century A.D. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

The necklace composed of thirteen ringstones graduated in size, one engraved with a youth holding a branch; one with Fortuna holding a spear and a ship's rudder; one with a humped bull; one with a standing male figure; one with a hero holding a sword, attacking a lion; one with a standing male figure holding a staff; one with a standing draped figure framed by attributes, on a groundline, inscribed HN to the left, and HAT in the exergue; one with a squatting woman and a bird; one with Aphrodite Anadyomene; one with an enthroned deity holding a scepter; one with a charioteer driving a biga to the right; one with an enthroned deity holding a scepter; and one with Minerva holding a spear and shield; the ringstones interspersed with fourteen cabochon eye agates, all mounted with gold bezels hinged together and finished at each end with lengths of chain terminating in a hook-and-loop closure, with pendants at the center of three eye agates and three drop-shaped ringstones, two with Eros leaning on a torch, one with a wreath, the necklace pendants removable, and attachable to the earring loops; the earrings set with ringstones, one with a goat, one with a humped bull
Necklace: approximately 20 in. (50 cm.) long. Largest ringstone: ¾ in. (1.9 cm.) long (3). Estimate $40,000 - $60,000. Price Realized $50,000

Provenance: The ringstones all acquired by the previous owner in New York between 1940-1970.

01

A Roman banded agate ringstone. circa 1st century B.C.-1st century A.D. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

The large flat oval stone engraved with Pan seated on a rock, a long pedum over his shoulder, contemplating a theater mask held out before him, the god with goat legs and a muscular human torso, his horned head with wavy hair, pointed ears and a short beard, on a groundline
7/8 in. (2.2 cm.) long. Estimate $25,000 - $35,000. Price Realized $25,000

Provenance: Private Collection, Austria, acquired in the 1980s.

Notes: For the subject compare the carnelian ringstone now in the Getty Villa, no. 623 in Boardman, The Marlborough Gems. Both display the same robust style; the only difference is that on the Getty gem, Pan shoulders a thyrsus rather than a pedum.

01

An Eastern Roman or Sarmatian gold, garnet and glass bracelet. circa late 1st-2nd century A.D. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

Formed of a solid stout wire, round in section, wound into 2½ coils, each end with a long drop-shaped terminal with a row of three bezel-set glass cabochons, each red in color in imitation of garnet, the central cabochon of one drop shaped, with two small bezel-set garnets at the ends perhaps representing snake eyes, the terminals framed and bisected by filigree and embellished with granulation
3 in. (7.6 cm.) diameter. Estimate $10,000 - $15,000. Price Realized $17,500

Provenance: Private Collection, New York, acquired in the 1980s.

01

A Roman onyx cameo. circa 2nd century A.D. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

Carved in two layers, white on blue-gray, with a head of Medusa depicted turned slightly to her left, snakes radiating from her thick curly hair, one wing visible, the face well defined with the eyes articulated; mounted as a pendant in a modern gold setting, suspended from an ancient-style gold chain
1 in. (2.5 cm.) high; chain: 18¼ in. (46.4 cm.) long. Estimate $5,000 - $7,000. Price Realized $13,750

Provenance: Said to be found in Amisus, near Samsun, on the coat of Asia Minor.
Brought to Berlin in 1934 by a representative of the USSR government authorized to sell items belonging to the Hermitage Museum.
Property of a Lady; Christie's, London, 10 July 1987, lot 126a.

01

A Roman gold and banded agate finger ring. Circa 2nd century A.D. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

The hoop formed of three lengths of beaded wire joined to the side of the oval bezel, with large granules at the join on either side, the bevelled oval agate engraved with a radiate bust of Zeus-Ammon, the bearded god with underslung horns curling around his ears, a modius atop his head, a mantle around his shoulders
7/8 in. (2.2 cm.) wide; ring size 5¼ . Estimate $4,000 - $6,000. Price Realized $7,500

Provenance: with Fortuna Fine Arts, New York, 2004 (To Dress in Gold, no. 130).

01;

A Roman silver and gold finger ring. Circa 2nd century A.D. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

The solid hoop flat on the interior, rounded on the exterior, expanding to the broad angular shoulders, the bezel centered by a relief radiate bust of Helios in profile to the right, framed by raised bands, the bezel overlaid in sheet gold, the face and hair of Helios cut out to reveal the silver below
1½ in. (3.3 cm.) long; ring size 8½; Estimate $2,000 - $3,000. Price Realized $6,250

Provenance/ Private Collection, U.K., acquired in 1995.

01

A Roman gold and carnelian finger ring. Circa 1st century A.D. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

The plain hoop rounded on the exterior, flat on the interior, expanding to the broad shoulders, the flat bezel set with a convex oval carnelian engraved with Fortuna standing in profile to the right, the draped goddess holding a cornucopia in her right hand and ship's rudder in her left, her head surmounted by a modius
7/8 in. (2.2 cm.) wide; ring size 4. Estimate $3,000 - $5,000. Price Realized $6,000

Provenance: Belgian Art Market, mid 1990s.

01

A Roman gold and black jasper finger ring. Circa 1st century B.C.-1st century A.D. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

The hollow ring with a plain hoop, round in section, tapering to an oval bezel set with a jasper engraved with a profile radiate draped bust of Alexander the Great wearing the horns of Ammon, his hair arranged in characteristic anastole, with unruly curls at the back of his head
7/8 in (2.2 cm.) wide; ring size 5¾ ; Estimate $6,000 - $8,000. Price Realized $6,000

Provenance/ Anonymous sale; Christie's, New York, 18 December 1996, lot 91.

01

A Roman glass bead necklace. circa 200 B.C.-100 A.D. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

Composed of fluted cylindrical blue-green beads, interspersed with modern gold spherical beads; strung with a modern hook-and-loop closure
20½ in. (52.1 cm.) long; Estimate $1,200- $1,800. Price Realized $5,625

Provenance/ Acquired by the family of the current owner prior to 1970.

01

A Roman gold and amethyst finger ring. Circa 1st century B.C. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

The hollow hoop rounded on the exterior, flat on the interior, with a flanged oval bezel set with a convex oval amethyst engraved with a female sphinx crouching to the left, on a ground line
13/16 in. (2 cm.) wide; ring size 4½; Estimate $2,500- $3,500. Price Realized $5,000

Provenance/ Private Collection, Paris & New York, acquired in 1982.
with Fortuna Fine Arts, New York, 2002.

01

A Roman gold pendant. Circa 3rd century A.D. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

Formed of thin sheet, with a ribbed suspension loop, depicting the Dioscuroi in relief, standing side by side and facing forward, depicted as mirror images of each other, each with a spear in one hand, the other akimbo, a sword hanging on his back behind one shoulder, fully armed in a cuirass, pteryges and greaves, each with a star above his head
2 13/16 in. (7.1 cm) high. Estimate $5,000- $7,000. Price Realized $5,000

Provenance/ London Art Market, 1993.

01

A pair of Roman old earrings. Syria, circa 1st-2nd century  A.D. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

Formed from a plain hoop tapering to a hook-and-loop closure, the lower portion decorated on one side with a band of granulation and a plain wire, joined below to granulated triangles with a hollow ball at each tip, framed on either side by a hollow ball
Each: 1 5/16 in. (3.3 cm.) long (2); Estimate $1,500- $2,500. Price Realized $4,750

Provenance/ Acquired by the current owner's father in Europe in 1972.

01

A Roman gold and red jasper finger ring. Circa 1st century B.C. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

The flat hoop expanding to the wide shoulders, with incised and stippled scrolling, the bezel rimmed with beaded wire, the round convex jasper engraved with a gryllos formed of three heads with a balding satyr, a bearded Dionysus and a bearded Pan, a branch rising from his horn, inscribed at left: KXIVE
11/16 in. (1.7 cm.) wide; ring size 3½ ; Estimate $2,500- $3,500. Price Realized $4,750

Provenance/ Anonymous sale; Christie's, New York, 8 December 1999, lot 66.

01

A Roman gold and garnet double finger ring. Circa 2nd century  A.D. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

The plain hoop bifurcated toward the shoulders, with a beaded wire in between, each bezel set with a circular cabochon garnet
¾ in. (1.9 cm.) wide; ring size 3½; Estimate $2,500- $3,500. Price Realized $3,750

Provenance/ Belgian Art Market, prior to 1990s.

01

A Roman plasma ringstone. Circa 2nd century A.D.  Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

The convex oval stone engraved with a syncretistic goddess in profile to the right, standing on the prow of a ship, the goddess a combination of Fortuna and Athena, wearing a crested helmet, a peplos and a himation, holding a spear in one hand and a ships' rudder in the other; mounted as a ring in a 19th century gold setting, the underside of the bezel inscribed with the initials: J.J.G.
3/8 in. (1 cm.) long; ring size 10. Estimate $4,000- $6,000. Price Realized $3,750
Provenance with Jack Ogden, London, 1980s.

01

A Roman gold pendant. Circa 2nd century A.D.  Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

Likely an earring element, formed of a heavy sheet cone, the sides embellished with filigree and granulation in two registers, with filigree triangles and spirals interspersed with clusters of granulation, terminating below in a cluster of balls, the domed upper surface with clusters of granulation and single granules within filigree circles, with a ring of beaded wire and granulation, the collar with undulating filigree wire with granules in the loops, and a fringe of granulation; joined to a modern suspension loop and a chord
1 3/8 in. (3.5 cm.) long. Estimate $2,000- $3,000. Price Realized $3,750
Provenance/ Private Collection, London, acquired in the 1970s.

01

A Roman red jasper ringstone. Circa 1st-2nd century A.D. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

The flat oval stone engraved with two dolphins flanking a vase, the vase with a thin foot and fluted body; mounted as a ring in a modern gold setting
5/8 in. (1.6 cm.) wide; ring size 10. Estimate $2,000- $3,000. Price Realized $3,500

Provenance: with Ariadne Galleries, New York, 1980s

01

A pair of Roman gold, garnet and glass earrings. Circa 2nd-3rd century A.D. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

Each with a hooked earwire beaded along its length and tapering to a point, joined to a sheet triangle with a beaded wire fringe, a triangular garnet bezel-set in the center and framed by beaded wire and granulation, a loop at the base joined to a length of wire threaded with three blue glass beads
Each: 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) long (2); Estimate $2,000- $3,000. Price Realized $3,250

Provenance. Anonymous sale; Christie's, New York, 6 December 2000, lot 139.

01

A Roman banded agate ringstone. Circa 2nd century A.D.  Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

The convex oval stone engraved with the Dioscuroi depicted on horseback, both holding spears, their mounts each with a foreleg raised, on a short groundline; mounted as a ring in a modern gold setting
¾ in. (1.9 cm) wide; ring size 9. Estimate $2,500- $3,500. Price Realized $3,250
Provenance/ with Ariadne Galleries, New York, 1980s.

01

A Roman carnelian ringstone. Circa 1st century A.D. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

The flat oval stone engraved with a bearded head of Hercules in profile to the left, a laurel wreath in his hair; mounted as a ring in modern gold setting
3/8 in. (1 cm.) long; ring size 8. Estimate $2,500- $3,500. Price Realized $3,000

Provenance: Private Collection, Belgium, acquired in 1997.

01

A Roman gold and nicolo finger ring. Circa 1st century A.D. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

The plain hoop slightly concave on the interior, rounded on the exterior, expanding to the broad shoulders, the flat oval nicolo with bevelled edges, engraved with Fortuna standing in profile to the right, the draped goddess holding a cornucopia in her right hand and a ship's rudder in her left, her head surmounted by a modius
7/8 in. (2.2 cm.); ring size 3¾ . Estimate $3,000- $5,000. Price Realized $3,000

Provenance: Private Collection, New Jersey, acquired in the 1970s.

01

A Roman gold snake ring. Circa 1st century A.D. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

Formed from a stout wire, the body coiled, the head turned out, the tip of the tail coiled into a spiral loop, the naturalistic details of the head delineated, including fangs
¾ in. (1.9 cm.) long; ring size 3. Estimate $1,500- $2,500. Price Realized $2,750

Provenance: Private Collection, New York, acquired in the 1990s.

01

A gold bracelet with five Roman ringstones.. Circa 1st-2nd century A.D. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

Mounted together in a late 19th-early 20th century setting, including a nicolo engraved with a bust of Serapis-Helios-Poseidon in left profile, with a modius and rays atop his thick curly locks, a trident before him; a red jasper with a standing veiled Genius with a cornucopia in one hand, a phiale in the other; an agate with a profile head wearing a laurel wreath; a red jasper with a standing nude Mercury, a mantle draped over his shoulders, a money bag in his lowered right hand, his caduceus resting against the crook of his left arm, a ram behind; and a nicolo with a nude athlete tying a fillet in his hair, a palm branch of victory in a jar to the right
Central stone: 5/8 in. (1.6 cm.) long; Bracelet: 8¾ in. (22.2 cm.) long; Estimate $5,000- $7,000. Price Realized $2,750

Provenance: Seattle Estate; Bushelles, Seattle, Washington, 1998.

01

Two Roman gold bracelets. Circa 1st-3rd century A.D. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

One a bangle, the plain hoop rectangular in section, the outer surface embellished with punched designs; and one formed of a plain stout wire, oval in section, tapering at the ends, each wound spirally along the hoop
Larger: 2 7/8 in. (7.3 cm.) diameter (2). Estimate $2,000- $3,000. Price Realized $2,750

Provenance: Private Collection, New Jersey, acquired in the 1980s.

01

A Roman amethyst  ringstone. Circa 1st-2nd century A.D. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

The convex oval stone engraved with Venus Victrix, nude but for a mantle draped around her waist, leaning against a column, holding a spear in her left hand and a helmet in her outstretched right; mounted as a ring in a modern gold setting
9/16 in. (1.4 cm) long; ring size 8½. Estimate $1,500- $2,000. Price Realized $2,750

Provenance: Private Collection, Paris, acquired in the 1980s.

Christie's.  Ancient Jewelry, 9 December 2010, New York, Rockefeller Plaza www.christies.com

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