Civil War Period Gold Poison Ring

Saint Anthony the Great on the left, represented in monastic dress holding a scroll of holy writings with his left hand; Saint Charalambos dressed as a bishop, with a green sticharion embroidered in gold, covered by a pink gold embroidered phelonion, a gold embroidered square epigonation with blue edges, and a long orange gold embroidered epitrachelion, holding a gold covered gospel with the image of Christ's resurrection with his left hand; tempera on wood. 558 grams, 25 x 18.6 cm



Acquired from Portobello Road, London, in the 1990s. Property of a London, UK, gentleman collector. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

Saint Anthony the Great, who lived in the 3rd-4th century A.D., was the father of the Eastern Monachism. According to the tradition, Saint Charalambos was martyrised in 202 A.D. He is the protector of prosperity and health

Formed as an arched doorway with cross finial above, the tympanum embellished with low-relief fronds and flowering plants; scalloped finial below with fleurs-de-lys and flowering plant; both doors with lozengiform panels and studded centres; reverse of both door panels decorated with central quatrefoils within nail-head roundels, flowering plants growing above and below; central panel showing Madonna and Child in high-relief, archangels Michael and Gabriel to left and right, Greek legends 'MP', 'ΘY', 'ICYC'; raised legend 'Geschützt' to back of central panel; suspension loop to reverse. 873 grams, 34.5 cm



Acquired from Germany. Property of a Swiss collector. Property of a Californian, USA, collector. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

Comprising: a wooden cross with carved scenes from the life of Christ (Nativity and others to one face, Crucifixion and others to the other face) housed in a filigree frame with beaded wire borders to the circular openings; three large amethyst beads to the arms, smaller coral and glass beads to each face; cannetille balustered stem and domed base. 140 grams, 21.8 cm



Ex Iconastas, London, SW1, UK, in 2004. Ex Mayfair Gallery Limited, London W1, UK, in 2005. Property of a London, UK, gentleman collector. Accompanied by a copy of the Mayfair Gallery invoice dated 10 January 2005. Accompanied by a copy of the Iconastas invoice dated 18 February 2004. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.12488-229957. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.