CIRCA 1ST CENTURY B.C.-1ST CENTURY A.D.

Details

SIX ROMAN RING STONES
CIRCA 1ST CENTURY B.C.-1ST CENTURY A.D.
16 mm. long max.

Provenance

G. Sangiorgi collection (1886-1965), Rome.
Private collection, Monaco, 1970s; thence by descent.

Special notice

These lots have been imported from outside the EU for sale using a Temporary Import regime. Import VAT is payable (at 5%) on the Hammer price. VAT is also payable (at 20%) on the buyer’s Premium on a VAT inclusive basis. When a buyer of such a lot has registered an EU address but wishes to export the lot or complete the import into another EU country, he must advise Christie's immediately after the auction.

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Lot Essay

For a similar example of a round ring stone in glass engraved with a seated lion holding a broken spear in its mouth in the British Museum, see inv. no. 1814,0704.2098. The red jasper example engraved with a hunter carrying two birds on a pole and a hare, similar to M. H. Story-Maskelyne, The Marlborough Gems, 1870, p. 105, no. 631. The largest ring stone shows four war-galleys each carrying two winged erotes. For a clear example of a war-galley represented on a Republican ring stone, cf. M. Henig et al, Classical Gems, Cambridge, 1994, p. 90, no. 164; for other examples of Erotes on boats, cf. J. Spier, Ancient Gems and Finger Rings, Malibu, 1992, p. 103, no. 251. Another ring stone is inscribed with the legend 'M. CLODI M.' next to the child Hercules wrapped in his lion skin.

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