Lot 17A
Roman, Imperial period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A luminous artifact of imperial adornment, this Roman gold ring frames a cobalt blue glass intaglio carved with the striding figure of a man, perhaps a deity or heroic nude. His legs are set in motion, caught mid-step, evoking the classical motif of movement as a metaphor for power, presence, or even divine agency. The figure's anatomical detailing has softened over time, but his silhouette remains legible against the dark field of glass. The intaglio is set within a sculptural bezel, forged from 92.9% gold (approximately 22.3 karats). The ring's band, while timeworn and delicately crumpled from centuries of wear, retains an organic elegance - like ripples in fabric frozen in metal. Size: 1" Diameter (2.5 cm); gold quality: 92.9% (22.3 karat); weight: 2.8 grams
Glass intaglios were often used in seal rings, their imagery impressed into wax to authenticate documents or goods. The blue glass, popular in Roman jewelry, was not only a surrogate for prized gemstones like sapphire or lapis lazuli, but also a material with symbolic potency. Blue suggested the heavens, divine authority, or celestial guardianship - qualities fitting for the figure in motion, who may have once protected the identity of the wearer.
Provenance: private Dayton, Maryland, USA collection; ex-private F. B. collection, Maryland, USA, acquired between 1990 to 2010
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#196149
- Condition: Not recommended for wear due to bending to ring form. Folding and indentations to gold and abrasions to glass. Very liberal remains of detail.
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| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
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