WEB AUCTION 106: Glittica

A silver ring set with a neoclassical Purple glass impression. Portrait of the Duke of Wellington.

19th century.
Impression 16x19x6 mm ; ring US size 9

The portrait of the famous general and english politician is facing left. Arthur Wellesley, 1st duke of Wellington (1769-1852) is mostly famous for his victory against Napoleon during the Waterloo Battle. The Tassie glass impression, of light amethyst colour is mounted in a silver ring with dark patina. Wear marks.

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U.K. private collection

A lot of 10 neoclassical glass impressions and a green jasper intaglio. Various subjects.

19th century.
min 12x16x2,5 mm; max 27x29x6 mm

Portrait of Bacchus or a bacchante; Priapic scene; Allegorical figure; Priestress ; late republican portrait ; Greek male portrait; a sphinx; mythological scene; late hellenistic portrait; motto with a dove ; Venus. Wear marks.

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U.K. private collection

A large Grand Tour glass impression. Imperial portraits.

19th century (?).
30x39x7 mm

Rare impression with portraits of Neron, Oton, and Poppea from a carnelian intaglio (Hermitage museum, Saint Petersburg, collection of Catherine II, prev. Orleans, inv. 4414 Cabinet d’Orléans, 1786) with greek inscriptions, bust of Dioscures and snake. Transparent glass. Wear marks.
L.Pirzio Biroli Stefanelli, La collezione Paoletti. Stampi in vetro per impronte di intagli e cammei, vol. I, p. 322 n. 608
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U.K. private collection

Lot of 2 neoclassical glass impressions. Imperial portraits.

19th century.
16x19x3 mm ; 19x27x4 mm

Lot composed of a small orange glass, with three laureated heads of roman generals (Triumvirat), and a larger red glass, with the laureated head of Julius Caesar. Excellent state, with slight signs of wear. Impression after intaglios. Grand Tour era.

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U.K. private collection

A lot of 2 glass paste impressions. Classical portraits.

19th century.
22x25x5 mm ; 23x27x5 mm

Two male portraits, facing right, inspired by graeco-roman models. The first is an effigy of a roman character, signed in greek; the second is a draped bust of Apollo. Glassy paste imitating red jasper. Impressions taken from intaglios. Grand Tour era.

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U.K. private collection

A lot of 2 rare electrotype silver impressions from Poniatowski gems. Mythological scenes.

19th century.
29x38x1,5 mm ; 10,9 grs ; 24x41x1 mm; 4,59 grs

Pair of silver impressions, made with the 19th century galvanic procedure after two Poniatowski gems. An intaglio signed by Gnaios and an other by Dioskourides; both pseudonyme of neoclassical engravers. Mythological scenes. Very good state of conservation and nice cabinet patina. Rare.
Beazley Archive, gem database - Poniatowski collection.
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U.K. private collection

A neoclassical iron Berlin cameo plaquette. Apollo of Belvedere

19th century.
24x29x3 mm

Draped bust of the famous Apollo of the Belvedere, with face in profile and almost frontal bust. Beautiful patina, deposits and slight iridescence. The bust is assembled on the bottom. Intact.

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U.K. private collection

A postclassical glass impression. Hercules.

19th - 20th century.
19x22x4 mm

The hero, with a knee on the ground and bent forward, is subdued by Eros. Allegory of Love subduing the Strenght. Purple polychromed glass.

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U.K. private collection

A large postclassical jasper cameo. Bust of a bearded character.

18th - 19th century.
39x47x10 mm

Identifiable perhaps with the effigy of a scientist (the face reminds the astronomer Galileo Galilei (1564-1642), the character is facing left and is characterized by a thick beard, partially bald skull; the man wears a shirt with a button on the collar, here open, and above a heavy jacket with a large folded collar, and above again a cloak, carved with details. The head is in profile while the bust is almost in front. Large cameo. Interesting variety of stone. Small chips on the edge.

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U.K. private collection

An opale cameo. Peacock.

End of 19th - Beginning 20th century.
10x14x4 mm

The sacred bird attributed to the goddess Hera is presented in front and craved in relief using the nice iridescence of the stone. In inverted drop-shape, this cameo is an uncommun testimony of engraving work on opale reminds the work in the same type of Wilhem Schmidt.
Charlotte Gere et Judy Rudoe : Jewellery in the age of Queen Victoria. A mirror to the world (Londres, 2010, p. 481).
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Old french collection, 1920's

A large neoclassical banded agate intaglio by Pichler. Theseus and the Minotaur.

19th century.
24x34x4 mm

The famous mythical episode in which Theseus killed the Minotaur is represented here in a powerful scene engraved on a large banded agate. The hero is giving with a club the fatal strike that will kill the beast, represented with one knee on the ground, in agony, blocked by the arm and by the right leg of Theseus. The postures of both characters are elegant, typically neoclassical after an original roman marble group found in 1740 in Genzano, near Rome, than into the Albani collection ("217. Group of Theseus killing the Minotaur, in the same way that this fact is represented in Athens medal at the Caylus tom. 3 p. 131. Ant. Gr. Plate 34 n.4 .... It was found in the year 1740 in Genzano ... "). This scene is present in a very similar way, with some variations, on some Roman coins (Attica, Athens, 145/55-175 AD, on the reverse The Minotaur holding a club in his right hand, left hand holding an horn of the Minotaur kneeling, who is preparing to slay, SNG Copenhagen 341 var.; Bithynia, Nicomedia, Severis Alexander SNG von Aulock 784). This model was also followed in the neoclassical glyptic production, as evidenced by a rare glass impression from the Paoletti collection (yellow glass, inv. MR 28112, The Minotaur killed by Theseus, from an unsigned intaglio in sardonic, London, British Museum coll. Blacas 1866, erroneously attributed at the time to Marchant). In the Pichler gem, the anatomic rendering and all the details are engraved with great artistic and technical mastery. The musculature is marked and well proportioned with elegance, the poses are never rigid. Great skill also revealed by the feet in perspective, and by the features of the faces. In particular, the physiognomic rendering of the face of Theseus is interesting, very similar to some Antonio Canova portraits. It was the sculptor himself, in 1781-83 (London, V&A) who sculpted a statuary group with Theseus and the Minotaur, portrayed after the violent fight. In this Pichler's intaglio, the presence of human bones of the Minotaur's victims is also interesting, in the same style as some Poniatowski gems. This banded agate carving has the "PICHLER EPOI (EI)" signature in greek letters, with abbreviation; the signature is well centered in the clear band of the stone. This signature is attributable with good certainty to Antonio Pichler. (1697-1779), father and progenitor of the famous dynasty of engravers (see Index of Greek signatures in Coll. Paoletti II p. 491). This attribution is also supported by the more severe engraving style, in line with several currently known works made by Antonio. Beautiful variety of banded agate. Wear marks.

L.Pirzio Biroli Stefanelli, La collezione Paoletti. Stampi in vetro per impronte di intagli e cammei, vol. II, p. 305 n. 295; C. Fea, Indicazione antiquaria per la villa suburbana dell'eccellentissima casa Albani, sec. Ed. Roma 1803, p. 24.
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U.K. private collection