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Details
LOT 254571
Large Roman Carnelian Gemstone with Hermes
2ND-3RD CENTURY A.D.
1 in. (3.2 grams, 25 mm).
Ellipsoid type with incuse design of Hermes standing nude with one knee resting on a pile of rocks, orb in one hand and wreath in his hair; repaired; supplied with a museum-quality impression. [No Reserve]
Provenance
From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.
Literature
Cf. similar images of Hermes in Gołyźniak, P., Engraved Gems and Propaganda in the Roman Republic and under Augustus, Oxford, 2020, figs.543-546.
Footnotes
Hermes/Mercury was a major god in the Graeco-Roman pantheon. He was the god of financial gain, commerce, eloquence, messages, communication (including divination), travellers, boundaries, luck, trickery and thieves. Due to his many talents and auspices, he was one of the primary divine characters represented on intaglios and cameos, especially in the Roman period. As messenger of the gods, Hermes was obliged to keep their secrets safe, and therefore was the perfect choice for a seal-gemstone.
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LOT 254571
Large Roman Carnelian Gemstone with Hermes
Estimate £600 - 800€700 - 930 (for guidance only)$810 - 1,080 (for guidance only)
Opening Bid
£5 (EUR 6; USD 7) +BP*
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