Lot Description

A PAIR OF BRACELETS WITH SIXTEEN ROMAN RINGSTONES
CIRCA 1ST CENTURY B.C.-4TH CENTURY A.D.
Mounted together in a 19th century gold setting, either to be worn as two bracelets or joined together as a single choker necklace, each stone framed by turquoise cabochons, one bracelet with a plasma engraved with a shepherd and two goats below a tree; a nicolo engraved with a profile helmeted head of Minerva; an eye agate engraved with a cornucopia; a plasma engraved with a profile draped male laureate bust, laurel in the field in front; a nicolo engraved with a cornucopia, a winged caduceus and a star; a plasma engraved with a partially draped Apollo seated before a tripod on a stand, a plant emerging from the vessel; a nicolo engraved with a standing Minerva wearing a peplos, armed with a helmet, shield and spear; and a nicolo engraved with a facing female head, perhaps of Selene, above a crescent; and one bracelet with a plasma engraved with an eagle on a branch; an agate cameo with three letters, MOV; a nicolo engraved with a satyr playing a flute; a plasma engraved with Mercury seated on a rock pile, nude but for a chlamys and a winged petasos, holding a money bag and a caduceus, a cock behind; a nicolo engraved with a military trophy; a plasma engraved with Bonus Eventus, a mantle over his shoulders, holding a bowl of offerings and sheafs of wheat, a bird in a tree behind; a nicolo engraved with a winged Eros riding a hippocamp; and a nicolo engraved with Venus Victrix, nude but for a mantle across her lower torso, holding a helmet and spear, leaning on a column
Largest stone: 7/16 in. (1.1 cm.) long
Each bracelet: 7¼ in. (18.4 cm.) long

Provenance

English Private collection.
with Wartski, London, prior to 2000.