Description:

Western Europe, Neoclassical, ca. 19th century CE. This is a lovely gold brooch set with a carnelian intaglio of a gorgon, perhaps Medusa herself! The ovoid stone is deeply engraved with her face in profile- heavily lidded eyes, pronounced pointed nose, and rounded chin. The snakes form coils of wavy "hair" their heads resting on her shoulders, and one wayward snake on her brow is reminiscent of a pharaoh's Uraeus. The intaglio is set in a gold bezel setting with an applied border of interlinking and twisted chains. The brooch verso contains a pin finding that articulates smoothly with a working clasp, making this a wearable piece! Size of intaglio: 0.95" L x 0.86" W (2.4 cm x 2.2 cm); brooch setting: 1.2" L x 1.04" W (3 cm x 2.6 cm); gold quality: 47.7% (equivalent to 11K+); weight: 9.2 grams

Provenance: private East Coast collection, New York, New York, USA, acquired before 2010

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.

Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.

#169434

  • Condition: Minor area where woven gold chain links are indented. Pin articulates, but is slightly stiff, as is the locking catch. Some areas of darker toning and patina. Intaglio is intact and very good with sharp details. Wearable.

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January 27, 2022 9:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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Bid Increments
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$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000