Regarded as probably the greatest collection ever of glyptics, the legendary Marlborough Gem collection was formed by George, 4th Duke of Marlborough (1739-1817) and consisted of around 800 cameos and intaglios.

Following a sale of the entire collection at Christie’s in 1899 the whereabouts of most of the gems became unknown as they were scattered into the hands of collectors, museums and dealers. This was the case – until recently – with these two examples offered for sale, which both last appeared in the Charles Newton-Robinson sale at Christie’s in 1909.

The Marlborough Gems were formed largely from three divisions: one third from the fabled 17th century Lord Arundel collection containing many Renaissance glyptics previously in the 15th-16th century collection of the Gonzaga Dukes of Mantua; one third from the 18th century collection belonging to Lord Bessborough; and a final third which the 4th Duke of Marlborough himself either acquired or commissioned.

Thanks to a 19th century catalogue produced by Professor Story-Maskelyne, wax-seal impressions and electrotype casts of almost all the gems were preserved. An updated edition of ‘The Marlborough Gems’ catalogue was published in 2009 by John Boardman et al with images of impressions for each gem enabling previously ‘lost’ Marlborough Gems to be identified, which can also be consulted at www.beazley.ox.ac.uk/gems/marlborough/images.htm.

The intaglio by Nathanial Marchant (Lot 266) and the Renaissance cameo (Lot 265) represent two of the three sources that formed the Marlborough collection: the former represents the Duke’s patronising of a small number of the very best 19th century neo-classical gem engravers, of whom Nathanial Marchant was one; and the cameo hails from the Arundel Collection, which was subsequently gifted by descent to the Duke of Marlborough.

Thomas Howard, 14th Earl of Arundel, (1585–1646) was a politician and one of the most dedicated art collectors of his generation. As well as collecting paintings and drawings of great importance – such as works by Rubens, Titian, Holbein, Dürer, Raphael and Brueghel - Arundel also collected works of the classical period, in particular cameos and intaglios.

Most of these were collected - at great expense - in Italy between 1630 and 1640, and the legendary ‘Arundel Cabinet’ comprised 133 intaglios and 130 cameos preserved in five drawers: A, B, C, D, E (the present lot was held in cabinet B, no. 33).

A significant number of the Arundel Gems were purchased from the infamous Flemish dealer Daniel Nys in Italy, who was responsible for the brokering of many important artworks belonging to the House of Gonzaga, in Mantua, which had reached decline by the late 1620s. The Gonzagas, as well as the Medici, Farnese and Popes Paul II and Leo X, were passionate glyptic collectors themselves, who collected both ancient gems and patronised the finest Renaissance gem-engravers.

This beautiful crafted cameo is very skilfully carved from four coloured layers of agate. The identity of the man, shown with short curly hair, a broken nose, wearing a crown and cloak, remains unknown. According to Story-Maskelyne this cameo perhaps depicts ‘a petty Syrian or Armenian Prince under Aurelian’, though the 18th century catalogue of the Arundel Gems produced by Sir Andrew Fountaine describes the cameo as depicting ‘some King of the Lougobards’.

It is a rare event to see a Marlborough Gem appear for sale, and rarer still to discover one that was formerly part of the illustrious 17th century Arundel collection.