Roman Silver Ring with Building

The oval intaglio engraved with a whimsical image of a stork emerging from the mouth of a large seashell, its neck arched forward to seize a small mouse by the tail; set in a finely made 19th-century ring with openwork shoulders; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 4.25 grams, 24.31 mm overall, 19.30 mm internal diameter (approximate size British T, USA 9 1/2, Europe 21.26, Japan 20)



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.13365-257944.

The stork, a bird symbolic in antiquity of vigilance, filial piety, and longevity, here appears in an imaginative fusion with a marine shell—an element often associated with Venus and the sea. The capture of the mouse adds an element of humour and narrative intrigue, perhaps evoking themes of cunning, the triumph of wit, or the unexpected in nature. Such unusual compositions are occasionally found in Roman glyptics of the late Republican period, appealing both for their novelty and symbolic richness.

Ellipsoid type with incuse design to the underside of a scorpion with segmented tail; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 0.49 grams, 11 mm



From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.

Formed as a standing horse, the hind legs forming a crossbar, the forelegs forming a catchplate, and linear detailing to the mane. 6.56 grams, 34 mm



From the private coin collection of a West London, UK, gentleman, formed since the mid 1980s.