Loading, please wait...

Use mousewheel to zoom in and out, click to enlarge

Details

LOT 1691

Celtic to Medieval Bronze Ring Collection

1ST CENTURY B.C.-16TH CENTURY A.D.

3/4 - 1 in. (24.4 grams total, 20-26 mm).

Comprising: five rings with decorative bezels; a penannular ring; an unfinished ring with a circular hole in the bezel. [7, No Reserve]

Provenance

Acquired on the UK and EU art market before 2000.
From the private collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman.

Literature

Cf. PAS no. DUR-00F326, for a similar Celto-Roman spiral ring, dated 200 B.C.-200 A.D.

Footnotes

Among the group is one complete copper-alloy finger ring of late Iron Age to Roman date (200 B.C - 200 A.D.). It is coiled into a spiral of two and a half turns. Both ends terminated in a square end with rounded corners.

CONDITION

VETTING:

TimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process


AUCTIONS:

TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.

LOT 1691

Celtic to Medieval Bronze Ring Collection

Sold for (Inc. bp): £156

Print page

RELATED LOTS

  • Iberian Bronze Bull Statuette
    Iberian Bronze Bull Statuette
    3rd-1st century B.C.

    Estimate: £1,800 - 2,400 (‡+bp*)

    Opening Bid: £1,000

    Modelled as a bridled and saddled bull, naturalistically rendered with well-defined facial planes, lending a vivid and expressive character to the figure; the edge of the saddle adorned with a delicate row of incised circles, broad hollowed out hooves. 48.6 grams, 54 mm long



    Frank Sternberg collection, Zurich, 1980s. Private collection, acquired from Frank Sternberg in 1992. Accompanied by a copy of an Art Loss register certificate, dated 29 March 2004. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12729-234223.

    The statuette likely served as a votive offering (ex-voto) at a sanctuary or temple, and closely parallels numerous Iberian examples recovered from sacred sites in Alicante, Valencia, and particularly in Andalusia. In Iberian culture, the bull was a potent symbol of strength, virility, and martial power—frequently associated with warrior deities. The inclusion of a saddle and bridle suggests domestication, and it is plausible that such animals, being more docile than horses, may have been ridden or equipped in ritual or ceremonial contexts.

    Lot Details

  • British Celtic Bronze Ring with Concentric Design
    British Celtic Bronze Ring with Concentric Design
    2nd-1st century B.C.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £91

    Comprising a D-section hoop with horizontal lines at the shoulders, a discoid bezel with ring-and-dot design. 3.35 grams, 23.20 mm overall, 20.54 mm internal diameter (approximate size British U 1/2, USA 10 1/4, Europe 23.15, Japan 22)



    Found Norfolk, UK. Acquired on the UK and EU art market before 2000. From the private collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman.

    Similar types of Celto-Roman bronze rings were found in the Thames in spoil heaps dating to the 1st century A.D. The most prolific finger rings in use throughout the Roman occupation were in bronze, and some forms were borrowed from Celtic arts and patterns.

    Lot Details

  • Celtic Bronze Adjustable Bracelet
    Celtic Bronze Adjustable Bracelet
    Iron Age, circa 2nd century B.C.-1st century A.D.

    Estimate: £100 - 140 (+bp*)

    Opening Bid: £50

    Formed from a single lentoid-section rod with the ends wound around the shank in a sliding knot. 22.2 grams, 88 mm



    From the collection of a late Gloucestershire, UK, collector.

    Lot Details

Stay up-to-date with the latest from TimeLine Auctions by joining our mailing list