George III Gold Memento Mori Ring with Skull

Painted on a wooden board with gessoed surface, tempera on wood panel with kovcheg (recessed central panel on the obverse) executed on a pale yellow ground; Boris and Gleb depicted on horseback wearing Russian 16th century Boyar costume, both with nimbus, each with a lance and pennant; on the right upper corner, God is represented as a half figure making a blessing gesture, inscription in Greek letters 'ΙϹ ΧϹ' (ΙΗϹΟΥϹ ΧΡΙϹΤΟϹ = Jesus Christ); rectangular wooden board with mounting slots to reverse. 1 kg, 32 x 26.5 cm

; good condition, losses to the borders, areas of retouching.

Acquired on the UK art market. Private collection, London, UK. 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 number no.12927-246338.

Boris and Gleb, Princes of old Rus Nation, were the sons of Vladimir of Kiev, the first Christian Prince of Rus; according the history they were killed in 1015 and 1019 in the civil struggles for the succession to the Kiev’s throne, and sanctified for their faith. Standards with their image were worn by the medieval Russian army.

Carved in the round with deeply undercut curls, carinated eyes, aquiline nose and small mouth in a neat beard. 2.05 kg, 15.3 cm



From a private Tyneside collection, formed since the early 2000s.

Head of Mary with gilded nimbus and russet-coloured veil, standing infant Jesus similarly nimbate with right hand raised in blessing gesture; the Virgin, with veiled head and mantle inclined towards Jesus, the head inclined left, wearing a red-gold maphorion mantle with elaborate golden saltires on the shoulders, over a dark blue robe; the infant facing away to left, supported on Mary's right arm, dressed in blue tunic and wrapped in a red orange shawl, right hand extended towards his mother; on right and left of the Virgin’s head Greek inscriptions 'ΜΡ ΘΥ' (Μήτηρ (τοῦ) Θεοῦ = Mother of God) and over the left shoulder of Mary inscription in Cyrillic 'Казанская Богоматерь Б.М.' (Mother of God of Kazan); over the child an inscription in Greek letters 'ΙϹ ΧϹ' (ΙΗϹΟΥϹ ΧΡΙϹΤΟϹ = Jesus Christ); inside the nimbus of Christ three letters (only two visible) representing the continuous divine self-existence of Christ as God (O ѾN = The Only One who always exists); rectangular wooden board with mounting slots to sides; gilt oklad with draped head-covering and garments, filigree ornament to borders, openwork crown with inset red glass jewel and applied calligraphic panels with enamel detailing. 1.79 kg, 31.5 x 27 cm



Acquired on the UK art market. Private collection, London, UK. 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 number no.12925-246336.

This specimen most probably comes from a private aristocratic Russian household. It has a superb quality and consists of a refined representation of the Mother with the Child (Mother of the Consolation), of Kazan. The original icon prototype of this one, also known as the Theotokos of Kazan, is thought to have originated in Constantinople in the 13th century before it was taken to Russia. When the Turks took over Kazan in 1438, the icon was most probably hidden to keep it safe. Ivan the Terrible liberated Kazan in 1552, and the town was destroyed by fire in 1579, after which the icon was found and brought to the Church of Saint Nicholas. It was subsequently stolen in 1904 and never found again, though there are many copies in existence.