Ancient Roman Nicolo Intaglio Ring
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From the Journal
Intaglio Rings and Jewellery: A Collector's Guide
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An antique gold signet ring set with an ancient Roman nicolo intaglio, dating to the 3rd–4th century AD, and later mounted in a high-karat gold ring during the 19th or early 20th century. The intaglio is engraved with Mars Ultor, the Roman god of war in his avenging aspect, shown standing with spear and trophy; a small but powerful martial image, originally intended to impress into wax as a personal seal.The gemstone is nicolo, a bi-layered form of agate with blue and darker contrasting layers. Roman gem engravers used this natural colour structure to striking effect, cutting the figure through the upper layer so that the design reads clearly against the darker ground. Here, the tiny figure of Mars is still sharply legible, with the spear and trophy giving the subject its military character. A closely comparable ancient nicolo intaglio of Mars with spear and trophy is recorded in the British Museum collection under museum number 1867,0507.90; other Roman gems in the British Museum also show Mars as an armed standing figure, underlining the popularity of the subject in ancient engraved stones.The Roman gem measures approximately 8 × 9mm and is set into a later gold signet mount of simple rounded form, allowing the intaglio to sit low and secure on the finger. The ring bears the French owl import mark for gold, and tests as 21K gold. It weighs 5g and is a UK size L½ / US 6.Condition is very good. The nicolo intaglio remains well preserved, with the figure clear; the later gold mount is sound, wearable, and shows only light surface wear consistent with age. A fine ancient Roman Mars intaglio ring, combining a late Roman carved gemstone with a high-karat 19th-century gold setting; wearable, scholarly, and visually restrained.
An antique gold signet ring set with an ancient Roman nicolo intaglio, dating to the 3rd–4th century AD, and later mounted in a high-karat gold ring during the 19th or early 20th century. The intaglio is engraved with Mars Ultor, the Roman god of war in his avenging aspect, shown standing with spear and trophy; a small but powerful martial image, originally intended to impress into wax as a personal seal.
The gemstone is nicolo, a bi-layered form of agate with blue and darker contrasting layers. Roman gem engravers used this natural colour structure to striking effect, cutting the figure through the upper layer so that the design reads clearly against the darker ground. Here, the tiny figure of Mars is still sharply legible, with the spear and trophy giving the subject its military character. A closely comparable ancient nicolo intaglio of Mars with spear and trophy is recorded in the British Museum collection under museum number 1867,0507.90; other Roman gems in the British Museum also show Mars as an armed standing figure, underlining the popularity of the subject in ancient engraved stones.
The Roman gem measures approximately 8 × 9mm and is set into a later gold signet mount of simple rounded form, allowing the intaglio to sit low and secure on the finger. The ring bears the French owl import mark for gold, and tests as 21K gold. It weighs 5g and is a UK size L½ / US 6.
Condition is very good. The nicolo intaglio remains well preserved, with the figure clear; the later gold mount is sound, wearable, and shows only light surface wear consistent with age. A fine ancient Roman Mars intaglio ring, combining a late Roman carved gemstone with a high-karat 19th-century gold setting; wearable, scholarly, and visually restrained.
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