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_900x900.jpg "Roman White Gemstone with Alexander the Great and Philosopher Diogenes of Sinope")
_200x200.jpg "Roman White Gemstone with Alexander the Great and Philosopher Diogenes of Sinope")
.jpg "Roman White Gemstone with Alexander the Great and Philosopher Diogenes of Sinope")
LOT 0006
Roman White Gemstone with Alexander the Great and Philosopher Diogenes of Sinope
2ND-3RD CENTURY A.D.
5/8 in. (1.24 grams, 16.27 mm).
Frieze depicting a seated Alexander the Great holding a ring or collar towards a philosopher emerging from a cauldron; supplied with a museum-quality impression. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.
FootnotesDiogenes of Sinope (c. 412-323 BCE) was an ancient Greek philosopher and one of the founders of Cynicism. He became famous for rejecting wealth, comfort, and social rules, choosing instead to live with very few possessions. He is often said to have lived in a large ceramic jar in Athens, sometimes described as a barrel or tub. Known for his sharp wit and simple way of life, he is also remembered for telling Alexander the Great to step out of his sunlight.
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LOT 0006
Roman White Gemstone with Alexander the Great and Philosopher Diogenes of Sinope
Sold for (Inc. bp): £169
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Large Gallo-Roman Mould-Blown Green Glass Flask
1st-2nd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £702
Square in plan with rounded shoulder and trumpet-shaped mouth; folded strap handle. 303 grams, 20.6 cm
Collection F. Martens Netherlands, 1980s-1990s. Anonymous sale, Cahn International Auction, Basel, Switzerland, 2010. Private collection, Europe.
Glass blowing was first used in the early 1st century B.C. and became widespread in the 1st century A.D. It simplified and increased the production of glass vessels, reducing their cost and transforming them into a general commodity. In the 1st century A.D., colourful glass vessels were still popular, while glass with a natural, light green colour, such as this, gained popularity in the subsequent centuries. -
Roman Gemstone Collection
1st-3rd century A.D.Estimate: £350 - 450 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £189
Including profile bust, advancing lion, two fish and other types; each supplied with a museum-quality impression. 2.9 grams total, 9-13 mm
From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.
One of the rings, representing a seahorse with a trident swimming beside a dolphin, could be connected with the Legio X Fretensis, whose symbol was Neptune and the dolphin, adopted after the battle of Actium. -
Late Roman Bronze Ring with Bust
5th-6th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £143
Substantial hoop with a raised rectangular bezel bearing a profile bust facing left, flanking inscription '+VI[R]TVS' (Value) 8.85 grams, 29.60 mm overall, 17.30 x 20.72 mm internal diameter (approximate size British O, USA 7, Europe 14.98, Japan 14)
Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman.
The ring seems to underline military virtue (virtus), and it can be assumed that it was given as a gift to a soldier for an act of courage, or as a reward for an undertaking of a certain value. The bust could represent an imperial figure.
