A ROMAN BERYL RINGSTONE WITH A GRYLLUS
A ROMAN BERYL RINGSTONE WITH A GRYLLUS
1 More
PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF DR. CORINNE BRONFMAN
A ROMAN BERYL RINGSTONE WITH A GRYLLUS

CIRCA 1ST CENTURY A.D.

Details
A ROMAN BERYL RINGSTONE WITH A GRYLLUS
CIRCA 1ST CENTURY A.D.
5/8 in. (1.5 cm.) long; ring size 7
Provenance
George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough (1739-1817), Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire; thence by descent to his son, George Spencer-Churchill, 5th Duke of Marlborough (1766-1840), Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire; thence by descent to his son, George Spencer-Churchill, 6th Duke of Marlborough (1793–1857), Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire; thence by descent to his son, John Winston Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough (1822-1883), Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire.
The Marlborough Gems: Being a Collection of Works in Cameo and Intaglio Formed by George, Third Duke of Marlborough, Christie's, London, 28 June-1 July 1875, lot 690.
David Bromilow (1809-1898), Bitteswell Hall, Leicestershire, acquired from the above; thence by descent to his daughter, Julia Harriet Mary Jary, Bitteswell Hall, Leicestershire.
The Marlborough Gems: A Collection of Works in Cameo and Intaglio Formed by George, Third Duke of Marlborough, Purchased by the Late David Bromilow, Esq., of Bitteswell Hall, Lutterworth, the Property of Mrs. Jary, Christie's, London, 26-29 June 1899, lot 690.
with Francis E. Whelan (1848-1907), London, acquired from the above (according to auctioneer’s book).
M.H. Nevil Story-Maskelyne (1823-1911), Wroughton, Wiltshire; thence by descent to his son-in-law, William Arnold-Forster (1886-1951), Cornwall.
Catalogue of the Story-Maskelyne Collection of Ancient Gems, the Property of W.E. Arnold Forster, Esq., Sotheby's, London, 4-5 July 1921, lot 208 (part).
Landsberg, acquired from the above (according to auctioneer's book).
Marjorie Bronfman (1917-2012), Montreal, acquired by 1978; gifted to her daughter, Dr. Corinne Bronfman (1947-2022), Washington, D.C.; thence by descent to the current owner.
Literature
N. Story-Maskelyne, The Marlborough Gems: Being a Collection of Works in Cameo and Intaglio Formed by George, Third Duke of Marlborough, London, 1870, p. 112, no. 690.
J. Boardman, et al., The Marlborough Gems, Formerly at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, London, 2009, p. 295, no. 718.

Brought to you by

Hannah Fox Solomon
Hannah Fox Solomon Head of Department, Specialist

Lot Essay

This gryllus is composed of a bearded head joined to a ram’s head, together with the legs, neck and head of a swan holding a sprig in its bill. The gem is mounted as a ring in an 18th century gold setting. The interior of the hoop is incised in two places with the number 208, which corresponds to the lot number in the Story-Maskelyne auction.

More from Antiquities

View All
View All