Details

LOT 0102

Roman Gold Ring with Apollo Gemstone

2ND-3RD CENTURY A.D.

1 in. (4.49 grams, 26.13 mm overall, 21.70 mm internal diameter (approximate size British L 1/2, USA 6, Europe 11.87, Japan 11)).

With a solid ellipsoid hoop expanding at the shoulders from the mid 3rd century, with oval bezel set with a blue nicolo gemstone engraved with the figure of standing crowned god Apollo, depicted nude and holding a staff (or lyre?) in his raised right hand, gazing towards his raised left hand.

Provenance

From the private collection of the late A.B., London, UK; acquired before 1989.

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 a search certificate number no.12005-213036.

Literature

See variant 1, type VII, and type III, variant 1, of the Ruseva-Slokoska classification, in Ruseva-Slokoska, L., Roman Jewellery, Sofia, 1991, pp.165-166 nos.182-183, 174, no.203; cf. similar specimens in the Koch collection, in Chadour, A.B., Rings. The Alice and Louis Koch Collection, volume I, Leeds, 1994, items 344-346; Kiernan, P. and Henz, K.P., ‘Rings from the Forbidden Forest. The function and meaning of Roman Trinket Rings’ in Journal of Roman Archaeology, Supplementary Materials, 2023, pp.1-19, fig.1, seven rings of the same shape with a nicolo gemstone.

Footnotes

The god’s body is depicted in three-quarter view, whereas the head is in full profile. The casual posture of the figure on the gemstone is taken from the common iconography of the god. Apollo is frequently portrayed in this fashion, although often leaning against a small column.