Scarce Ancient Roman Carnelian Intaglio of NIKE and Warriors in 21k Gold Signet

A scarce ancient Roman intaglio dating from the 1st to 2nd century AD, depicting Victoria, the Roman Goddess of Victory (also known as Nike in Greek mythology). The cabochon gemstone is a chromium chalcedony, mottled green in colour. It was known in the ancient world as a ‘plasma’ stone and was widely used in jewellery and seals throughout the Roman Empire. However the mineral disappeared from use in the ancient world towards the end of the 2nd century AD when the known deposits were mined out. The intricate ancient engraving depicts a winged Victoria, draped and facing left, holding a palm branch in her right hand and a laurel leaf in her left. The green gem is translucent and contains small dotted black natural inclusions. The gemstone’s viridian green tones were linked to nature, growth, and prosperity, reflecting the Romans' appreciation for abundance and fertility. Victoria played a major part of Roman society, with many temples erected in her honour including one on the Palatine Hill which would house the spoils of war from Roman victories. She was, to the Romans, a symbol of victory over death, ultimately determining who would be successful during war. The high number of artistic and architectural dedications to her bear witness to the popularity of the goddess’ cult: Victoria widely appears on Roman coins...

A superb ancient Roman nicolo intaglio set in a late 18th century gold signet ring. Nicolo intaglios are a particular type of intaglio ma...

An ancient Romano-British carved jasper intaglio dating from the 2nd to 3rd century AD, set in a later gold mount dating from the late 18th century. The intaglio is intricately carve...

A large antique English Georgian era gentleman’s gold signet ring, circa 1830. In the centre there is a flat-cut and bezel-set octagonal carneli...

This rare Egyptian carved carnelian frog amulet dates to the Eighteenth Dynasty of the New Kingdom, circa 1300 BC. Frog amulets, depicting the goddess Heket, were commonly worn by both the living as a fertility charm and the dead to provide rejuvenation and a long afterlife. The ancient amulet is pierced horizontally and set into a later gold swivel mount, probably dating from the late 19th century. The design of the gold mount inspired by rings worn by the ancient Egyptians and Etruscans with its swivel bezel and coiled wire on the shoulders. The immense number of offspring made the frog an important symbol of fertility in ancient Egypt, and carved frog amulets were worn by women hoping for an easy delivery. This is exemplified with the goddess and protector of birth, Keket, who was depicted as a frog. After death, frog amulets would be placed within the wrappings of mummies, both men and women, in hope of a successful rebirth in the afterlife. The association between this amphibian and rebirth may have been induced by the fact that every year, millions of frogs spontaneously appeared out of the river mud and filled the fields after the annual inundation of the Nile. This caused the Egyptians to believe that they spontaneously generated themselves out of the river mud. The influence of frogs in Ancient Egypt can be seen in the language, the hieroglyphic sign for "one hundred thousand" was a tadpole, and one of the Egyptian terms denoting "frogs" is whm-anx, meaning literally "they who repeat life." Similar examples of ancient Egyptian carved...

A superb, scarce Finnish antique 18K gold ring that was made in Helsinki in the year 1854. The oval carnelian coat of arms intaglio is set in a large intricate gold repoussé work mount featuring scrolled foliate motifs. Incredibly, thanks to a full set of Finnish hallmarks, as well as from the intaglio carving itself, we can identify who commissioned and wore this superb seal ring. The coat of arms engraved into the carnelian gemstone is that of the Klinckowström family, an old Prussian noble house whose members played prominent roles in the history of Prussia, Sweden, Finland and Austria. The family was granted nobility in Sweden in 1684 by King Charles XI, and then received the rank of baron in 1759 from King Adolf Frederick. The baronial branch was listed in the Finnish House of Nobility (Ritarihuone) from 1818 until the family line ended in Finland in 1883. This baronial element can also be seen in the engraved coat of arms from the specific type of coronet used, it is set with pearls and known as a ‘Friherrlig rangkrona’, the coronet for Baron. The hallmarks tell us that this ring was made in Helsinki in the year 1854. Accordingly, the ring must have been made for a Baron (male) of the Klinckowström family, present and active in Finland during the mid-19th century. After researching into the genealogial records, only one member of the family settled in Finland, which was Baron Otto Wilhelm Klinkowström (1778-1850), and this ring would have been commissioned by his son Baron Arthur Wilhelm Wilhelmsson Klinckowström, shortly after his father’s passing. The ring would have been made in used to seal deeds and important letters in wax regarding family affairs. Arthur had two sons. Emil and Alexander who carried on the baronial title until 1883, when the family line ended on the male side. Although the time period of this ring also matches up with his both his sons, according to heraldry records they both carried a slightly different coat of arms. Arthur, the owner of this ring enrolled in the House of Knights in Finland aged 17 and soon after received the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. He spent the remainder of his years in various senior military positions, such as Lieutenant Colonel of the Finnish Sharpshooter Battalion and Colonel of the Kremenchugska Hunter Regiment. He passed away in 1860, not long after his father, which may explain why this ring is in such excellent condition with minimal signs of usage. His father, Baron Otto Wilhelm Klinkowström (1778-1850) was a Swedish lieutenant general who later moved to Finland, where he immediately found favour with Czar Alexander I of Russia...

A fine antique intaglio ring. Likely converted from an antique button or pin. In 14k gold With a carved carnelian cabochon depicting an unidentified Roman hero. Marked 14k to the...

We are proud to show this circular hoop of 22 Kt gold, with coiling around the shoulders, sets an oval shaped intaglio"dextrarum lunctio" on the carnelian. This translates to clasped...

A Georgian carnelian intaglio ring, the oval cornelian measuring 21 x 18mm, seal-engraved with a classic male head, bearded and in profile, in a yellow gold setting with an open back...

Exceptionally rare and fashioned in the 2nd or 3rd century CE, the carved carnelian gemstone at the center of this ring hails from the Roman Empire. Displaying a rich red color and carved with the image of two Roman deities with a child, the creation exudes the glory of late antiquity. Each taking a classical contrapposto stance, the leftmost god appears crowned with laurels and grasping a staff, while the other appears nude. At their feet, an infant stretches his arms upward toward the divine figures. The crimson carnelian, more than a millennia-old, is set into a later 14K gold ring setting...

Ancient Roman Dionysus intaglio ring. Set with an oval carnelian intaglio finely engraved with standing figure of Dionysus holding a thrysus and drinking cup, in a closed back rubove...

This exquisite intaglio is masterfully engraved onto a carnelian gemstone. The gem is set in an 18K gold ring. The shoulders of the ring are embellished with a classic "Green Man" re...