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_900x900.jpg "Hardstone Cameo of a Muse in Ring")
_200x200.jpg "Hardstone Cameo of a Muse in Ring")
_900x900.jpg "Hardstone Cameo of a Muse in Ring")
_200x200.jpg "Hardstone Cameo of a Muse in Ring")
.jpg "Hardstone Cameo of a Muse in Ring")
.jpg "Hardstone Cameo of a Muse in Ring")
LOT 0335
Hardstone Cameo of a Muse in Ring
ITALY, 18TH CENTURY A.D.
1 in. (6.47 grams, 25.88 mm overall, 16.12 mm internal diameter (approximate size British J 1/2, USA 5, Europe 9.32, Japan 9)).
Carved in two-coloured red and brown agate, depicting a classical muse in right-facing profile with flowing hair, and drapery, the laurel wreath identifying her as an embodiment of poetic or artistic inspiration; the cameo set in a 19th-century mount with a border of single-cut diamonds set in platinum, a pierced, open-backed construction and bifurcated shoulders enriched with classical leaf motifs.
ProvenanceAcquired on the European art market.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13327-257906.
Cf. a similar cameo of an English Lady as muse in Draper, J.D., Cameo Appearances, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New Haven-London, 2008, p.7 no.4.
FootnotesThe union of an eighteenth-century Italian gem engraving with a later English mount reflects a broader nineteenth-century practice of integrating earlier engraved gems into newly conceived settings.
CONDITIONTimeLine 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:
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Holy Roman Empire Gold Signet Ring with Carnelian Intaglio
Germany, 18th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £2,210
Comprising a fluted band with openwork shoulders set with facetted rock crystals, rub-over setting engraved with floral motifs on the reverse and set with a red carnelian intaglio carved with the coat of arms of the owner; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 5.64 grams, 24.89 mm overall, 21.56 x 17.76 mm internal diameter (approximate size British U, USA 10, Europe 22.52, Japan 21)
Acquired on the European art market. -
Renaissance Enamelled Gold Ring with Facetted Gems
17th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £2,990
With a closed back setting and carved shoulders, the bezel set with seven facetted paste gemstones in cut-down collets with black enamel decoration to the gallery; European workmanship. 5.75 grams, 25.32 mm overall, 19.74 mm internal diameter (approximate size British S, USA 9, Europe 20, Japan 19)
Acquired on the European art market. -
Gem-Set Gold Masquerade Ring with Love Inscription
Italy, circa 1760 A.D.Estimate: £5,000 - 7,000 (+bp*)
Current Winning Bid: £2,500
Finely modelled with a black-and-white enamelled mask, the features animated by rose-cut diamond eyes and a small ruby set into the open mouth; the head framed by a serrated gold collet and flanked by silver foliate clusters each set with a further rose-cut diamond; the shank formed as asymmetrical rococo scrolls with pierced and chased detailing throughout, the reverse of the bezel open, revealing white enamel engraved with faint traces of an original posy inscription. 2.28 grams, 21.10 mm overall, 17.45 x 16.35 mm internal diameter (approximate size British N, USA 6 1/2, Europe 13.72, Japan 13)
The enamel remains entirely original and unrestored.
Acquired on the European art market. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13321-257909.
Though now largely worn, the underside of the bezel would likely have borne a concealed love sentiment, comparable to the formula Je cache mes amours ('I mask my love'), found on related rings of mid-18th-century manufacture. The theme of the masked lover, drawn from contemporary masquerade culture and its associations with flirtation, secrecy, and clandestine courtship, here transforms the jewel into a witty and intimate token.
