Indo-Portuguese Painted Wooden Box

Standing on a hexagonal base wearing a goatskin mantle tied by the forelegs around his shoulders, with poppy seed-heads and bunches of grapes by the left arm; in his raised right hand, a bunch of grapes and in his left hand a cudgel; stump of a tree by his right leg and barrel beside his left, with a lamb to the rear placing its foreleg on top; modelled after the so-called Fauno Rosso from Hadrian's Villa, now in the Capitoline Museum. 18.5 kg, 67 cm high



From an important Paris gallery, France.

Half-man, half-beast, satyrs were believed to be the children of goats and mountain nymphs. Followers of the god Dionysus, they had a reputation for drunkenness and spent their days participating in orgiastic rituals. They represented the crude and boisterous facets of the stereotypical male persona, particularly of rural man.

Comprising a folded length of thin leather or vellum, with lines of Ge'ez text in black and red ink, coloured figural illuminations at the top depicting the winged Archangel Michael brandishing a sword, wearing a richly decorated lembd as a covering cloak. 32 grams, 35 cm



Stephen Keynes collection (1927-2017). Ex central London gallery.

Ethiopian phylacteries or parchment scrolls combined apotropaic prayers and images. These ‘magic scrolls’ utilise only a few designs that derive from Christian imagery, namely the holy rider, the sword-bearing angel Michael, and the cross. Here the text asks intervention and protection from Saint Michael, commander of the heavenly Host. Interestingly, the accoutrement of the Angel reflects that of the military Ethiopian elite in 19th century A.D.

Composed of a carinated outer face and inscription to interior in cursive script: 'Hearts content cannot repent' followed by a maker's stamp formed as florid a letter 'I' within a rectangular cartouche. 6.54 grams, 21.46 mm overall, 17.32 mm internal diameter (approximate size British N, USA 6 1/2, Europe 13.72, Japan 13)



Acquired on the UK antiques market between 1974-1985. Albert Ward collection, Essex, UK.

In the medieval period many rings bore posy inscriptions in Latin or French, the languages frequently spoken by the affluent elites. Later, inscriptions in English became more usual, although the lack of standardisation in spelling might surprise the modern reader. The inscription is generally found on the interior of the ring, hidden to everyone except the wearer and most of the sentimental mottoes were taken from the popular literature of the time. In fact, love inscriptions often repeat each other, which suggests that goldsmiths used stock phrases. In the later 16th century, ‘posy’ specifically meant a short inscription. A posy is described in contemporary literature as a short ‘epigram’ of less than one verse. George Puttenham (1589) explained that these phrases were not only inscribed on finger rings, but also applied to arms and trenchers. The practice of giving rings engraved with mottoes at betrothals or weddings was common in England from the 16th century onwards, and continued until the late 18th century. Sources suggest that rings could be acquired ready- engraved, or alternatively engraved sometime after their initial production, by a hand other than the goldsmith’s. Joan Evans assumed that posy rings were principally used by/between lovers and distinguished four contexts for the giving of posy rings by one lover to another: betrothals, weddings, St Valentine’s Day and occasions of mourning. Samuel Pepys’ diary makes clear that posy rings might also mark the marriage of a family member, when bearers could even commission their own rings and chose their own mottoes from books. The rings could also function as tokens of friendship or loyalty.