Bactrian Style Lapis Lazuli Bead Necklace String

Hollow-formed copy of the Mars of Todi, a figure of an Etruscan warrior wearing segmented armour to the chest and shoulders, crested helmet, short tunic; the hands in animated pose with left hand open to accept a weapon; holes beneath feet for mounting. 7.6 kg, 61.5 cm high



French collection, 1960s-early 2000s. From an important Paris gallery, France. with Galerie Athena, Brussels, 9 May 2019, lot 393. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.11691-199344.

The "Mars of Todi" figure is a large, almost life-sized bronze statue of a warrior in armour. It dates from the late 5th - early 4th century B.C., and is believed to have been produced by an Etruscan workman for an Umbrian patron. The figure was probably a votive offering for a religious sanctuary, perhaps sacred to Laran, the Etruscan god of war. It had been buried ritually and left undisturbed until its modern discovery in 1835. It lacks a helmet, and the hands are empty; possibly a patera plate was originally in the open right hand, and a spear gripped in the clenched left hand. The sculptor of the figure followed the Greek contrapposto posture accentuating the carefully modelled lamellar plate armour. The statue bears a short inscription in Umbrian "Ahal Trutitis dunum dede" (Ahal Trutitis gave this gift).

Painted onto bone china in polychrome and gilt, showing the ruler facing, dressed in royal attire. 27 grams total, 64 mm high (82 x 82 mm including box)



Acquired by the vendor's father on the UK art market, before 1990.

Naser al-Din Shah Qajar was the fourth Shah of Qajar, and the third longest reigning ruler in Iranian history. He was assassinated in Tehran on 1st May 1896. He is known for being the first modern Persian monarch to have formally visited Europe and to have written about his travels in his memoirs.

Composed of a slender hoop inscribed around the interior, maker's stamp 'TS' in rectangular cartouche, possibly for goldsmith Thomas Sharp. 3.03 grams, 19.90 mm overall, 17.05 mm internal diameter (approximate size British O, USA 7, Europe 14.98, Japan 14)



From the collection of a North American gentleman, formed in the 1990s.

In the medieval period many rings bore posy inscriptions in Latin or French, the languages frequently spoken by the affluent elites. Later, inscriptions in English became more usual, although the lack of standardisation in spelling might surprise the modern reader. The inscription is generally found on the interior of the ring, hidden to everyone except the wearer and most of the sentimental mottoes were taken from the popular literature of the time. In fact, love inscriptions often repeat each other, which suggests that goldsmiths used stock phrases. In the later 16th century, ‘posy’ specifically meant a short inscription. A posy is described in contemporary literature as a short ‘epigram’ of less than one verse. George Puttenham (1589) explained that these phrases were not only inscribed on finger rings, but also applied to arms and trenchers. The practice of giving rings engraved with mottoes at betrothals or weddings was common in England from the 16th century onwards, and continued until the late 18th century. Sources suggest that rings could be acquired ready- engraved, or alternatively engraved sometime after their initial production, by a hand other than the goldsmith’s. Joan Evans assumed that posy rings were principally used by/between lovers and distinguished four contexts for the giving of posy rings by one lover to another: betrothals, weddings, St Valentine’s Day and occasions of mourning. Samuel Pepys’ diary makes clear that posy rings might also mark the marriage of a family member, when bearers could even commission their own rings and chose their own mottoes from books. The rings could also function as tokens of friendship or loyalty.