Antique 17th Century Engraved Silver Heraldic Coat of Arms Intaglio Signet Ring

A very unusual antique gold ring set with a carved brown and white hardstone cameo depicting the theatrical comic mask of Silenus, the Greek mythological old rustic god of wine-making and drunkenness. The ring was made in the late 19th century and carries French control marks for 18K gold, whilst the cameo is probably Italian and made slightly earlier, circa 1800. Silenus was a companion to the wine god Dionysus, and suitably he was a notorious consumer of wine, usually drunk and supported by satyrs or carried by a donkey. Silenus was described as the oldest, wisest and most drunken of the followers of Dionysus, and was said to possess special knowledge and the power of prophecy when intoxicated. He presides over the other satyrs and is related to musical creativity, prophetic ecstasy, drunken joy and drunken dances. Silenus was usually depicted as a jovial old man, bald yet bearded, with a pot-belly, thick lips and snub-nose. The masks worn to play him in theatre really emphasised these features, as you can see with this cameo carving Theatre was a key part of ancient Greek culture. The theatrical masks worn by the actors, known as ‘prosopon’, served various purposes. They enabled individual actors to play multiple roles (or genders) in the same performance; the exaggerated expressions helped define the character being portrayed; they helped spectators in the back rows to tell the characters apart. This particular masked as mentioned before is a comedic Silenus, please see final photo for other examples of Silenus masks in museum collections. UK size N 1/2, US size 7 4.84g 18K gold French ‘tête...

A striking gold ring, dating from the early 20th century. The figural shoulders are adorned with angelic putti motifs, delicately sculpted to depict Eros, the Greek God of love and d...

A superb ancient Roman agate intaglio ring. The high-karat gold signet ring is set with an engraved gemstone, known as an ‘intaglio’. It dates from between the 2nd to 3rd century AD and is a fine example of a Romano-British intaglio. The conical-shaped agate gemstone displays various bands of colour ranging from honey brown to greyish-blue. The engraving depicts the bust of a man wearing a helmet, possibly winged which would depict Mercury, the Roman god of commerce, financial gain and communication. In Roman times, people would wear rings with the intaglio of Mercury in hope that the he would protect them and bless them with good financial fortune in their lives. A number of referenced examples of similar ancient Roman conical shaped intaglios reside in notable museums all across the world, from the British Museum to the Louvre. A page with these examples and their sources can be found in the final photos of the listing. Similar examples can also be found in the extensive Alice and Louis Koch collection (items: 234, 235, 241, 301). Again see final images for reference. The gold ring mount is of D-shaped cross-section and a hollow 22K gold construction. The ring has a fantastic smooth silk-like texture when worn. It remains in good overall condition and the intaglio is very secure in the mount. The gold mount dates to the late 18th to early 19th century, and the shape is inspired by ancient Roman ring...

This incredible, rare gold ring dates from the 12th century Seljuk dynasty. The carnelian intaglio is set within a typical Seljuk tapered rectangular bezel with a four-pronged gold setting soldered to the outside of the bezel. Applied and pierced arabesque designs are placed at the bottom of each prong which also reinforce the joints. Further applied gold Seljuk ornamentation decorates the band, including two gold birds and a highly decorative vestigial sprued bottom (back-knob) from the casting. The gold mount itself is also ornately and intricately chased and nielloed with arabesque patterns. Remarkably, the niello work remains in exceptional condition, and can still be seen on the underside of the bezel which is decorated with a lattice pattern. The carnelian intaglio seal is flat cut base with bevelled sides. This shape was predominantly used in the seals from the 8th to 11th century. The seal is engraved with angular Kufic script with forked terminals which dates the seal to the 9th-12th centuries (Porter, 2011). For similar referenced examples in museums and notable collections, see final photos, in particular item 26 in ‘Islamic Rings and Gems: the Benjamin Zucker Collection’ (1987). UK size K, US size 5.25 The ring weighs 9.19 grams and is crafted in high-karat gold (21K gold). The carnelian stone measures 11mm x 8mm x 3mm. The hollow box bezel measures 16mm x 10mm and protrudes 7mm from the base. This museum-grade ring is a rare survivor, most existing examples have some damage to the ring, intaglio or niello - this is a scarce example in superb, original condition. The Seljuks, a Turkish dynasty of Central Asian nomadic origins, became the new rulers of eastern Islamic lands following the defeat of the powerful Ghaznavids at the Battle of Dandanakan (1040). Under the Seljuk sultanate, which spanned from the 11th to the 13th century, goldsmiths and jewellers created works of unparalleled beauty and sophistication. Seljuk jewellery...