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LOT 0348
Stuart Period Enamelled Gold Ring with Table-Cut Rock Crystal
ENGLAND, 17TH CENTURY A.D.
3/4 in. (2.17 grams, 21.88 mm overall, 16.84 mm internal diameter (approximate size British M, USA 6, Europe 12.46, Japan 12)).
D-section hoop with enamel panels to the shoulders, arcade to the rectangular bezel with inset table-cut crystal.
ProvenanceFound whilst searching with a metal detector near Harlaxton, Lincolnshire, UK, on Wednesday 17th November 2021.
Acquired on the English art market.
Accompanied by a copy of the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme (mPAS) report no.LIN-CCA6D4.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.13050-248358.
Cf. Chadour, A.B., Rings. The Alice and Louis Koch Collection, volume I, Leeds, 1994, item 681, for type.
FootnotesFinger rings with a principal stone and subsidiary settings in separate collets came into use in the early 13th century, and this form of simple collet continued in use until the 15th century. A gold medieval finger ring with a similar bezel, but with subsidiary settings, is recorded on the PAS database (LIN-EC74C7, 2020T819). Other gold finger rings with a principal stone (albeit with subsidiary settings) and similar framed bezel recorded as treasure on the PAS database, including one from Soberton, Hampshire (HAMP-1DCFF0, 2017T156) and Huntingdon district area, CAM-4A8AB6, 2020T089.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
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LOT 0348
Stuart Period Enamelled Gold Ring with Table-Cut Rock Crystal
Sold for (Inc. bp): £2,600
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Silver-Coloured Metal Ring with Bead Gem
Late 20th-21st century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £33
With a broad hoop, applied scroll to each shoulder, filigree collar to the cell, inset ellipsoid synthetic ruby cabochon with wheel-cut fluting. 23.94 grams, 36.11 mm overall, 20.36 mm internal diameter (approximate size British V, USA 10 1/2, Europe 23.77, Japan 22)
Private collection, UK. -
Egyptian Revival Bronze Cross
Late 19th-early 20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £26
Cruciform pendant with integral loop, obverse with impressed cartouche and hieroglyphs, reverse with hatching. 5.6 grams, 43 mm
From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s. -
Marble Fountain Sculpture of a Putto Wrestling a Fish
Baroque, 17th century A.D.Estimate: £5,000 - 7,000 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £1,500
Standing on an angular base resting his left knee on the open jaws of a fish, his left arm holding the jaws open, the body and tail held upright be the raised right hand (partly absent); with heavy sulphured patina. 20.75 kg, 48 cm
Acquired prior to 1970. From the estate of a Swiss gentleman, Ticino. Private collection, Zurich, Switzerland. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12790-240308.
In ancient Roman art and architecture, fountains were often decorated with sculptures of young boys or putti holding fish. These sculptures were known as 'putti with fish' or 'boy with fish' and were a popular motif in the decoration of fountains. The young boy or putto was shown holding a fish or a shell, which would spout water into the fountain basin below. The fish was a particularly popular motif because it symbolised abundance, fertility, and prosperity, which were all important values in ancient Roman society. Overall, the putti with fish sculptures are a notable example of the art and architecture of ancient Rome and have continued to be an enduring symbol of beauty, abundance, and prosperity throughout the centuries. Archaeological excavations in Pompeii have revealed many examples of sculptures of putti with fish. The putti with fish sculptures from Pompeii were usually made of bronze, marble, or terracotta. They were often placed in the centre of the fountain, surrounded by other decorative elements such as flowers, plants, and other sculptures. Many of these putti with fish sculptures are now on display in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples. The museum also houses a famous mosaic of a putto with a fish, which was discovered in the House of the Faun in Pompeii. The putti with fish sculptures from Pompeii and those in the Naples Museum provide valuable insights into the art and culture of ancient Rome. They demonstrate the importance of beauty and abundance in ancient Roman society and offer a glimpse into the everyday life of the people who lived in Pompeii over two thousand years ago. In the 17th and 18th centuries these sculptures were imitated and used to decorate the fountains of royal palaces and palaces.
