Copper La Pieta Plaque

A life-size marble upper body of a young female figure, likely the goddess Venus, shrouded in a palla mantle worn over the robe and draped over the head as a hood; the left arm bent to form folds and gatherings in the cloth, the right arm shown beneath the cloth held bent to the right breast. 133 kg, 84 cm high



French collection, 1960s-early 2000s. From an important Paris gallery, France. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.11687-199355.

In Roman mythology, Venus was the goddess of love, sex, beauty and fertility. Married to the god Vulcan, Venus' principal divine lover was Mars, with whom she was famously trapped in bed with a net by Vulcan. The goddess also had numerous mortal lovers - Adonis for example. The earliest known appearance of a temple dedicated to Venus was founded on the Aventine Hill in 295 B.C. She is most closely associated with the month of April, the beginning of the season of spring.

A Georgian-era 15 carat gold and silver 'poison' ring, composed of a slender hoop of scrolls and crescents with a plain panel at the base, expanding shoulders formed as openwork foliate flourishes set with small stones; oval cluster bezel set with a central cushion-cut emerald weighing approximately 4.06 cts, held in a pierced setting with twisted gold wire collar, and surrounded by rose-cut diamonds; hinged bezel revealing a secret compartment beneath, the reverse domed and engraved with a stylised shell motif. 10.02 grams, 28.41 mm overall, 17.91 mm internal diameter (approximate size British O, USA 7, Europe 14.98, Japan 14)



Acquired from Platt Boutique Jewelry, Inc., West Hollywood, California, USA, 2016. Property of an East Sussex collector. Accompanied by a copy of the Platt Boutique Jewelry invoice. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11668-197586.

'Poison rings' became popular in Europe during the 16th century, and Lucrezia Borgia is popularly believed to have used one. The compartment within the bezel was used to conceal poison, a lock of hair or other substances.

A bronze bird catcher figure clad in garments evoking the Middle Ages, modelled in the round stalking his prey with a cage in one hand and a cudgel or baton held in the other, ready to strike, a number of birds suspended from his belt, together with other pouches; mounted on a veined granite base. 6.15 kg total, 27 cm high including stand



English private collection.