Bertolami Fine Art - Riversdell Close 27, KT16 9JW Chertsey
Auction 86 - Glyptics and Ancient Jewelry sessione unica
Wednesday 9 December 2020 hours 14:00 (UTC +01:00)
Gold cufflinks with silver gem-impression. A roman green chalcedony intaglio. Warship with dolphins.
Gold cufflinks with silver gem-impression. A roman green chalcedony intaglio. Warship with dolphins.
1st-3rd century A.D.
intaglio : 17 x 21 mm
Weight (cufflinks) : 16,92 g
The warship sails to the right and is characterized by a wild boar-headed rostrum, a high aplustre, oars at sea and a large, partially open sail; on board, 3 helmeted soldiers armed with spears and shields. On the rostrum there is an armed soldier (presumably the leader highlighted in a certain allegorical sense ?). At the bottom of the ship: the helmsman. At sea, two dolphins. This specimen, engraved on a precious large green chalcedony, finds a very similar comparison with a specimen preserved at The Hermitage Museum. Slight wear marks. The stone is set in a gold mounting as a cufflink. The lot include a nice toned silver impression.
Parallels: The sails of Hellas. Seafaring in the ancient world. The State Hermitage Museum (Exhibition Catalogue), St; Petesburg 2010, p. 186 n. 101 inv. ΓP 22776.
European private collection.