Loading, please wait...
LOT 0419
Tudor Period Silver Ring with 'Amuletic' Toad Stone
WESTERN EUROPE, 16TH CENTURY A.D.
1 1/8 in. (4.53 grams, 29.85 mm overall, 20.51 mm internal diameter (approximate size British T, USA 9 1/2, Europe 21.26, Japan 20)).
Round-section hoop supporting a discoid bezel, claw setting with inset 'toadstone' amulet.
ProvenancePrivate collection, Europe.
Acquired on the French art market.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.13074-248390.
An almost identical example can be found in the collection of the British Museum, London, Registration number: AF.1026; another example can be found in the collection of the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, accession no.WA1897.CDEF.F810.
FootnotesWilliam Shakespeare’s As You Like It, circa. 1599; ‘Sweet are the uses of adversity, Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, Wears a precious jewel in his head yet’. Toadstones are mythical stones that were thought to be found inside the head of a toad. They were believed to sweat, change colour or even heat up in the presence of poison. It was thought that a toadstone placed on bites from snakes, insects, spiders and shrews would extract poison from the wound. They were thought to bring good luck and ward off evil, whether in the present life or in the afterlife. The Book of Secrets from the 13th century recommends swallowing the stone to 'cleanse the bowels of filth and excrements'. The stone could then be retrieved and used again. They were often set as amulets and talismans, a practice that continued in Europe until the 18th century. Toadstones are actually the button-like fossilised teeth of Lepidotes, an extinct genus of fish common in the Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods, 200 to 100 million years ago.
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:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
-
Gilt Framed Set of Historical Prints
19th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £13
A set of four framed and glazed historical prints: Sir Francis Drake, engraved by S. Freeman, published London, 1829, by Harding & Lepard; Sir Walter Raleigh, engraved by H. Robinson, published London, 1829, by Harding & Lepard; Spencer Compton, engraved by H. Robinson, published London, 1834, by Harding & Lepard; Anne Clifford, Countess of Dorset, engraved by H.T. Ryall, published London, 1830, by Harding & Lepard. 2.3 kg total, 32.5 x 24.5 cm each
Fair to fine condition.
Property of a North London, UK, gentleman. From the private collection of John Meredith, acquired since the 1990s; thence by descent. -
Post Medieval Marble Portrait of the Greek Goddess Hera
17th-18th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £5,980
Modelled in the round with gracile features, braided hair, arched diadem to the brow. 32 kg, 42 cm high including stand
Private collection, England. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.13081-249676.
The type of sculpture seems to be inspired by the type of the Barberini Hera, a Roman copy from the imperial age, today in the Chiaramonti Museum (Vatican Museums). The sculpture was discovered by the antiquarian Leonardo Agostini in the late 17th century, during excavations on the Viminal Hill. The site was located beneath the convent affiliated with the church of San Lorenzo in Panisperna, an area known to have hosted the ancient Baths of Olympiades. Its identification as the Barberini Hera was established by its early owner, Cardinal Francesco Barberini. -
.jpg)
Post Byzantine Adoration of the Magi Shell Plaque
17th-18th century A.D.Estimate: £150 - 200 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £75
Octagonal in plan with carved scene of the Adoration of the Magi with star above; stepped border, pierced for attachment. 30.2 grams, 68 mm
Acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s.
The flat relief and the stylistic refinement of the images place the execution of the plaque towards the end of the 17th century, with some artistic parallels with the Romanian silversmiths of Chiprovatzi.
