A EUROPEAN SARDONYX CAMEO WITH METHE
A EUROPEAN SARDONYX CAMEO WITH METHE
1 More
PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF DR. CORINNE BRONFMAN
A EUROPEAN SARDONYX CAMEO WITH METHE

CIRCA 18TH CENTURY

Details
A EUROPEAN SARDONYX CAMEO WITH METHE
CIRCA 18TH CENTURY
5/8 in. (1.4 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 258.
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 258.
with Francis E. Whelan (1848-1907), London, acquired from the above (according to auctioneer's book).
John Postle Heseltine (1843-1929), London.
Antique Gems, Greek Coins, and Greek and Roman Antiquities of J. P. Heseltine, Esq., Christie's, London, 19 April 1921, lot 110.
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. 29, no 171; p. 44, no. 258.
J. Boardman, et al., The Marlborough Gems, Formerly at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, London, 2009, p. 225, no. 500.

Brought to you by

Hannah Fox Solomon
Hannah Fox Solomon Head of Department, Specialist

Lot Essay

Methe, the personification of drunkenness, is depicted nude, standing on a groundline, wearing a mantle over her shoulders, preparing to drink from a bowl held out before her in both hands. The cameo is mounted as a ring in a 18th century gold setting; the interior incised with the number 110, which corresponds with the lot number from the Heseltine sale at Christie’s.

More from Antiquities

View All
View All