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Jewelry | Lots 73-105
Ancient Jewelry | Lots 73-105
73 A Sassanian Carnelian Bead Necklace
CIRCA 3RD-7TH CENTURY A.D. Length 16 1/2 inches (42 cm).
Provenance: Salim Haddad, Beirut. Private Collection, acquired from the above in 1972; thence by descent. Christie’s, New York, Ancient Jewelry: Wearable Art, 29 November - 8 December 2016, Lot 46. $2,000 - 3,000
74 A Western Asiatic Banded Agate Necklace
CIRCA LATE 3RD-EARLY 2ND MILLENNIUM B.C. Length 20 3/8 inches (31.7 cm).
Provenance: Sarkis & Haddad, Beirut. Private Collection, acquired from the above in 1971; thence by descent. Christie’s, New York, Ancient Jewelry: Wearable Art, 29 November - 8 December 2016, Lot 66. $2,000 - 3,000
75 A Western Asiatic Stone and Shell Bead Necklace
CIRCA 3RD MILLENNIUM B.C. Length 11 1/4 inches (29 cm).
Provenance: Private Collection, New York, acquired prior to 1980; thence by descent. $800 - 1,200
NEW KINGDOM, 18TH-20TH DYNASTY, 1550-1070 B.C. Length 10 3/8 inches (26.4 cm).
Provenance: Private Collection, New York, acquired prior to 1980; thence by descent.
Composed of 29 lotus bud pendants graduated in size, interspersed with round carnelian and gold beads. $3,000 - 5,000
THIRD INTERMEDIATE PERIOD TO LATE PERIOD, 1070-343 B.C. Length 8 1/8 inches (21 cm).
Provenance: Private Collection, New York, acquired prior to 1980; thence by descent. $800 - 1,200
78 An Achaemenid Hollow Gold Bead Necklace
CIRCA 6TH-5TH CENTURY B.C. Length 14 3/8 inches (36.5 cm). Property from the Collection of Mr. Kashanian, New York
Provenance: Acquired by the present owner prior to 1969. $2,500 - 3,500
80 An Egyptian Faience Scarab Swivel Ring
NEW KINGDOM, 18TH DYNASTY, REIGN OF AMENHOTEP III, 1391-1353 B.C. Ring size 7 1/2; Length of scarab 1/2 inch (1.25 cm). Collection from an Important Midwestern Scholar
Provenance: Jack Ogden, London, UK, 1980. Christie’s, New York, Ancient Jewelry, 7 December 2011, Lot 328.
The underside of the scarab has a hieroglyphic inscription within a cartouche, reading: “Neb-maat-Re,” which is the prenomen belonging to Amenhotep III. The inscription opposite the cartouche reads: “beloved of Amun.”
$2,000 - 3,000 81 An Egyptian Gilt-Bronze Snake Ring
CIRCA 1ST CENTURY B.C-1ST CENTURY A.D. Ring size 9; Diameter 1 inch (3 cm). Property from a Private Florida Collection
Provenance: Blumka Gallery, New York, 1984; from the Leopold Blumka private collection, purchased by the present owner from Mr. Blumka’s wife after his passing. $2,000 - 3,000
83 A Romano-Egyptian Gold Snake Bracelet
CIRCA 1ST CENTURY B.C.-1ST CENTURY A.D. Length 2 1/8 inches (5.5 cm). Property from a Private Florida Collection 87 Two Romano-Egyptian Gold Snake Bracelets
CIRCA 1ST CENTURY B.C. Diameter of largest 2 3/4 inches (7 cm). Property from a Private Florida Collection
Provenance: Jack Ogden, London, UK, 1984. $3,000 - 5,000 Provenance: Jack Ogden, London, UK, August 1984.
Both solid cast, the scales and details of the snakes’ heads and tails were chased after casting. Each formed from a wire, circular in section, one a single coil, and the other a double coil. Illustrations of Romano-Egyptian anthropoid mummy cases show bracelets, such as these, worn in pairs above the elbow. For a similar snake bracelet, see the British Museum (Inv. no. 1917.0601.2780). $8,000 - 10,000
“Force is always beside the point when subtlety will serve.” - Darius the Great
Gold has long been the currency of social and political status. Lion-headed protomes form the terminals of this substantial gold bracelet. The image of confronting lions—as well as other real and mythological animals—is a motif that has a long iconographical history in Western Asia. Many fascinating and unique objects of exquisite beauty come from this region of the world, and its rich and longstanding artistic heritage inspired much of the Mediterranean world from the Mycenaean period onward.
Presumably cast from a local workshop, the openmouthed lions compare favorably to an analogous gold bracelet found in the Kurdistan Region and now on view at The Louvre Abu Dhabi (Inv. no. LAD2009.019). Combining artistic elements from cultures as far west as Assyria and as far north as Urartu and Scythia, the ferocity of the snarling lion has been tempered and restrained by decorative convention. As in the words of the Achaemenid King Darius the Great, “Force is always beside the point when subtlety will serve.”
The open assimilation to and influences from neighboring cultures of Western Asia would become a political keystone for the burgeoning Persian Empire. As can be seen in the stylistic differences between the numerous examples of animal-headed bracelets, artistic trends were not set by the most dominant culture, but by the most talented craftsmen.
79 A Western Asiatic Gold Bracelet with Lion-Headed Terminals
CIRCA 8TH-6TH CENTURY B.C. Diameter 4 3/4 inches (12.1 cm). Property from a Private Pennsylvania Collector
Provenance: Nasli Heeramaneck (1902-1971), New York, prior to 1964. Jay C. Leff Collection (1925-2000), Uniontown, Pennsylvania; thence by descent.
$10,000 - 15,000
82 A Roman Gold and Red Jasper Finger Ring Engraved with the Bust of a Man
CIRCA 2ND CENTURY A.D. Ring size 6.5; Diameter of intaglio 13/16 inch (.8 cm). Property from a Private Estate, Urbana, Illinois
Provenance: Artemis Gallery, Louisville, Colorado, 21 July 2020. $800 - 1,200 84 A Roman Gold and Garnet Finger Ring with Cabochon
CIRCA 3RD CENTURY A.D. Ring size 3 1/3. Property from a Private Florida Collection
Provenance: Jack Odgen, London, UK, January 1985.
With a double beaded hoop and a rectangular bezel. The size of the ring suggests it was likely a child’s ring or worn between the first and second joints of the finger. $2,000 - 3,000 85 A Roman Gold Double Finger Ring
CIRCA 1ST-2ND CENTURY A.D. Ring size 3 3/4. Property from a Private Florida Collection
Provenance: Jack Ogden, London, UK, September 1985. $2,500 - 3,500
86 A Roman Gold and Garnet Finger Ring
CIRCA 1ST CENTURY A.D. Ring size 10x13mm. Property from a Private Florida Collection
Provenance: Jack Ogden, London, UK, 1984. $1,000 - 1,500 88 A Pair of Roman Gold and Garnet Earrings
CIRCA 2ND-3RD CENTURY A.D. Length 1 1/8 inches (3 cm). Property from a Private Florida Collection
Provenance: Jack Ogden, London, UK, 1984. $1,200 - 1,800 90 A Hellenistic Gold Finger Ring with Banded Agate Intaglio of Nude Deity
CIRCA 3RD-2ND CENTURY B.C. Ring size 5 1/2; Diameter of Intaglio 7/8 inch (2.22 cm). Property from a New Jersey Private Collection
Provenance: Art Market, Germany, acquired 19 June 1998. $2,000 - 3,000
89 A Roman Red Jasper Ring Stone of a Nude Sculptor
CIRCA 1ST-2ND CENTURY A.D. Ring size 7 1/2; Length of stone 9/16 inch (1.4 cm). Collection from an Important Midwestern Scholar
Provenance: Ariadne Galleries, New York, 1980s. Christie’s, New York, Ancient Jewelry, 5 December 2012, Lot 417. $3,000 - 5,000 91 A Roman Gold Finger Ring with Banded Carnelian Cabochon
CIRCA 3RD-4TH CENTURY A.D. Ring size 3 1/2. Property from a New Jersey Private Collection
Provenance: Art Market, Germany, acquired 19 June 1998. $2,000 - 3,000 92 A Roman Sardonyx Cameo of Medusa
CIRCA 1ST-2ND CENTURY A.D. Ring size 9 1/2; French import Hallmark; Diameter of cameo 9/16 inch (1.4 cm). Property from a New Jersey Private Collection
Provenance: Art Market, Germany, acquired 19 June 1998. $2,000 - 3,000
93 A Roman Gold Finger Ring
CIRCA 1ST-2ND CENTURY A.D. Ring size 7 3/4. Property from a New Jersey Private Collection
Provenance: Art Market, Germany, acquired 19 June 1998. $800 - 1,200 94 A Roman Gold Finger Ring with Glass Cameo of Eros
CIRCA 1ST-2ND CENTURY A.D. Ring size 5 1/4; Diameter of cameo 3/8 inch (1 cm). Property from a New Jersey Private Collection
Provenance: Art Market, Germany, acquired 19 June 1998. $800 - 1,200 95 A Phoenician Gold Finger Ring with Blue Glass Frog Seal
CIRCA 1ST CENTURY B.C. Ring size 7 1/2. Property from a New Jersey Private Collection
Provenance: Art Market, Germany, acquired 19 June 1998. $500 - 700
96 An Islamic Gold Finger Ring with Rock Crystal Cabochon
CIRCA 11TH CENTURY A.D. Ring size 3 3/4. Property from a New Jersey Private Collection
Provenance: Art Market, Germany, acquired 19 June 1998. $1,500 - 2,500 98 A Byzantine Gold Necklace with Molded Green Glass Cameo
CIRCA 5TH-6TH CENTURY A.D. 22k gold; Length of cameo 1 inch (2.5 cm).
Property from a New Jersey Private Collection
Provenance:
Art Market, Germany, 1980s.
Fortuna Fine Arts, Ltd., New York.
Private Collection, New York, acquired in 1996.
Christie’s, New York, Ancient Jewelry: Wearable Art, 29
November- 8 December 2016, Lot 32.
This cameo depicts the Virgin Orans with an inscription above her head in Greek letters translating to, “Mother of God.”
$5,000 - 7,000
97 A Roman Gold Finger Ring with Jasper Intaglio of a Theater Mask
CIRCA 1ST-2ND CENTURY A.D. Ring size 3 1/4; Diameter of intaglio 7/16 inch (1.1 cm). Property from a New Jersey Private Collection
Provenance: Art Market, Germany, acquired 19 June 1998. $1,500 - 2,500 99 A Roman Gilt-Bronze Finger Ring with a Red Jasper Intaglio of Agrippina
CIRCA 1ST-2ND CENTURY A.D. Ring size 4 1/2; Diameter of intaglio 7/16 inch (1.1 cm).
Provenance: Art Market, Germany, acquired 24 July 1998. Fortuna Fine Arts, Ltd., New York. $1,200 - 1,800
100 A Hellenistic Gold Earring with Eros Playing the Flute
CIRCA 2ND-1ST CENTURY B.C. Diameter 1 1/8 inches (3 cm).
Provenance: Art Market, Germany, acquired 24 July 1998. Fortuna Fine Arts, Ltd., New York. $1,000 - 2,000 101 A Greek Gold and Garnet Earring with Eros
CIRCA 2ND-1ST CENTURY B.C. Diameter 1 inch (2.5 cm).
Provenance: Art Market, Germany, acquired 24 July 1998. Fortuna Fine Arts, Ltd., New York. $1,200 - 1,300 105 A Roman Gold Finger Ring with an Intaglio of Nike Riding a Chariot
CIRCA 1ST CENTURY A.D. Ring size 11x13mm; Diameter of intaglio 7/16 inch (1.1 cm).
Provenance: Art Market, Europe, prior to 1980s. Private Collection, Michigan, 1980s-1990s; thence by descent. $3,000 - 5,000
102 A Roman Gold and Glass Bead Necklace
CIRCA 2ND-3RD CENTURY A.D. Length 19 13/16 inches (25 cm).
Provenance: Private Collection, New York; thence by descent. $1,000 - 1,500
103 A Roman Gold and Glass Bead Necklace
CIRCA 2ND-3RD CENTURY A.D. Length 9 3/4 inches (25 cm).
Provenance: Private Collection, New York, before 1980; thence by descent. $800 - 1,200
104 A Roman Gold and Garnet Bead Necklace
CIRCA 1ST-2ND CENTURY A.D. Length 11 1/8 inches (28.3 cm).
Provenance: Private Collection, New York, acquired before 1980; thence by descent. $1,000 - 1,500
