Chalcedony Bead Necklace

Showing Saint George on horseback, dispatching the dragon with a spear thrust; the Saint dressed in a soft cuirass and seated on a high-ended saddle secured by breast, rump, and belly straps; on the right, the walls of Trebisonda and on the bottom right the princess; Old Slavic inscription on the top, reciting Saint George of Cappadocia (Свято́й Гео́ргий Каппадоки́йский); at the top, the Christ Mandylion inscribed inside a cross. 71 grams, 87 mm



Acquired from Chris Martin-Zakheim, Iconastas, 5 Piccadilly Arcade, London SW1. From the private collection of a West London, UK, gentleman, formed since the early 2000s.

According to the Christian tradition, Saint George would have lived between the end of the 3rd century and the beginning of the 4th century: born into a noble Christian family, he became an officer in the Roman army and was then named a prefect by Diocletian. But when the same emperor decided to resume the persecutions, Saint George became a victim despite his important political rank. His role in the development of the faith is so important that he is included among the Great Martyrs of the Eastern Church and his fight against the dragon becomes a symbol par excellence of the fight for good which defeats evil.

Rectangular vellum fragment with painted architectural image to obverse with single caption; six lines of Ge'ez script to reverse. 7 grams, 29.9 cm



Collection of David Buxton (1910-2003), author of 'Travels in Ethiopia', 1949.

With lateral spurs and stepped shoulders, the bezel an octofoil with raised hexafoil motif and pellets. 11.08 grams, 25.60 mm overall, 19.72 mm internal diameter (approximate size British Q, USA 8, Europe 17.49, Japan 16)



Acquired on the London art market in the late 1980s-1990s. From the family collection of an East London, UK, gentleman.