Peter Szuhay - Antique Intaglio Rings

RINGS

	Roman Intaglios
	High carat gold pendant, set with eight ancient Roman intaglios and a 17th - 18th cent. cabochon sapphire The pendant's design borrows from the medieval form and invokes that early spirit. The stones are green bloodstone, red carnelian and banded agate. Size: 67mmx42mm Weight: 30.2 gr Ref: INT 9829


	Carnelian Intaglio depicting Venus, Cupid an Juno
	Carnelian intaglio depicting Venus ,Cupid and Juno signed Diokleo?The “fake” signature is one of the Poniatowski names used by probably the Roman gem engraver Giovanni Pichler, in original contemporary swivel gold ring imitating the ancient. Size of intaglio 26mmx22mm Ref:INT9962 Prince Stanislas Poniatowski (1754-1833) the wealthy nephew of the last King of Poland commissioned about 2500 gems and encouraged the belief that they were, in fact, ancient. The greater part was the product of a group of gem-engravers in Rome who turned to Classical literature, especially the works of Homer, Vergil and Ovid for inspiration, and not to the many ancient Classical representations which had inspired much Neo-Classical art. As such, it seems to have been generally overlooked as a source for such later depictions of mythological subjects, although comparable works by other Neo-Classical artists, in Britain and on the Continent have been well studied. Poniatowski published a summary catalogue of his gems, Catalogue des Pierres Gravees Antiques de S.A. le Prince Stanislas Poniatowski, in 1830, with more elaborate descriptions following in two versions in 1833. His collection was sold after his death at a Christie's auction in 1839 (April 29-May 21). The gems were later recognized as 'modern', The majority was acquired by John Tyrrell, but some were purchased by others. All have been widely dispersed ever since


	16th Century Intaglio of Cleopatra
	Large 16 th. century bloodstone intaglio depicting Cleopatra with the snake in a high carat gold ring. Cleopatra VII Philopator January 69 BC – 30 BC) was a Hellenistic ruler of Egypt, originally sharing power with her father Ptolemy XII and later with her brothers/husbands Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV; eventually gaining sole rule of Egypt. As Pharaoh, she consummated a liaison with Gaius Julius Caesar that solidified her grip on the throne. After Caesar's assassination, she aligned with Mark Antony, with him she produced a set of twins and a son. Cleopatra had four children in all, firstly, a born son by Caesar (Ptolemy Caesar nicknamed Caesarion), and three by Mark Antony (the twins, Cleopatra Selene II and Alexander Helios, and a son Ptolemy Philadelphus). Her successive unions with her brothers produced no children. Her reign marks the end of the Hellenistic Era and the beginning of the Roman Era in the eastern Mediterranean. She was the last Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. Her son by Julius Caesar, Caesarion, co-ruled in name with his mother only a very few years before Octavian, later on renamed Caesar Augustus, had him executed, most probably by strangulation, which in Antiquity was the execution method reserved for infants and pre-pubescents, thus adding humiliation to his execution. Though she bore the ancient Egyptian title Pharaoh, her main language was Greek; for several centuries preceding her rule, Egyptian kings had been of Macedonian (i.e. Hellenistic) origin rather than Egyptian origin. The establishment of a Greek-speaking aristocracy in Egypt had come with Alexander the Great nearly 300 years before. Cleopatra is reputed to have been the first member of her family in their 300-year reign in Egypt to have learned the Egyptian language. Cleopatra adopted common Egyptian beliefs and deities. Her patron goddess was Isis, and thus during her reign it was believed that she was the re-incarnation and embodiment of the goddess of wisdom. After Antony and Cleopatra were defeated at Actium by their rival and Caesar's legal heir, Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian (who later became the first Roman Emperor, Augustus), Cleopatra committed suicide, the traditional date being 12 August 30 BC,^[1] allegedly by means of an asp bite. To this day she remains popular in Western culture. Bloodstone, green jasper dotted with bright red spots of iron oxide, was treasured in ancient times and served for a long time as the birthstone for March. This attractive chalcedony quartz is also known as heliotrope because in ancient times polished stones were described as reflecting the sun: perhaps the appearance of the gem reminded the ancients of the red setting sun, mirrored in the ocean. Even today, finely pulverised bloodstone is used as a medicine and aphrodisiac in India. Perhaps that explains why it is now rather difficult to find fine specimens of bloodstone on the market. Size of intaglio 25 x 20 mm Ring size "Q" Weight of ring 17.3 gr. Ref INT0512



	Roman Intaglio Ring
	Early 19 nth century high carat gold ring set with a carnelian intaglio from second century A.D.depicting Septimius Severus (146 -211) a Roman general, and Roman Emperor from 193 to 211. He was born in what is now the Libyan part of Rome's historic Africa Province, making him the first emperor to be born in the Roman province of Africa Septimius Severus was born and raised at Leptis Magna (modern Libya, southeast of Carthage, ). Severus came from a wealthy, distinguished family of equestrian rank. Severus was of Italian Roman ancestry on his mother's side and of Berber^[1] or Punic^[2] ^[3] ancestry on his father's. Little is known of his father, Publius Septimius Geta, who held no major political status but had two cousins who served as consuls under emperor Antoninus Pius. His mother, Fulvia Pia's family moved from Italy to North Africa and was of the Fulvius gens, an ancient and politically influential clan, which was originally of plebeian status. His siblings were a younger Publius Septimius Geta and Septimia Octavilla. Severus’s maternal cousin was Praetorian Guard and consul Gaius Fulvius Plautianus.^[4] In 172, Severus was made a Senator by the then emperor Marcus Aurelius. In 187 he married secondly Julia Domna. In 190 Severus became consul, and in the following year received from the emperor Commodus (successor to Marcus Aurelius) the command of the legions in Pannonia. On the murder of Pertinax by the troops in 193, they proclaimed Severus Emperor at Carnuntum, whereupon he hurried to Italy. The former emperor, Didius Julianus, was condemned to death by the Senate and killed, and Severus took possession of Rome without opposition. The legions of Syria, however, had proclaimed Pescennius Niger emperor. At the same time, Severus felt reasonable to offer Clodius Albinus, the powerful governor of Britannia who had probably supported Didius against him, the rank of Caesar, which implied some claim to succession. With his rearguard safe, he moved to the East and crushed Niger's forces at the Battle of Issus. The following year was devoted to suppressing Mesopotamia and other Parthian vassals who had backed Niger. When afterwards Severus declared openly his son Caracalla as successor, Albinus was hailed emperor by his troops and moved to Gallia. Severus, after a short stay in Rome, moved northwards to meet him. On February 19, 197, in the Battle of Lugdunum, with an army of 100,000 men, mostly composed of Illyrian, Moesian and Dacian legions, Severus defeated and killed Clodius Albinus, securing his full control over the Empire. Severus was at heart a soldier, and sought glory through military exploits. In 197 he waged a brief and successful war against the Parthian Empire in retaliation for the support given to Pescennius Niger. The Parthian capital Ctesiphon was sacked by the legions, and the northern half of Mesopotamia was restored to Rome. His relations with the Roman Senate were never good. He was unpopular with them from the outset, having seized power with the help of the military, and he returned the sentiment. Severus ordered the execution of dozens of Senators on charges of corruption and conspiracy against him, replacing them with his own favorites. He also disbanded the Praetorian Guard and replaced it with one of his own, made up of 50,000 loyal soldiers mainly camped at Albanum, near Rome (also probably to grant the emperor a kind of centralized reserve). During his reign the number of legions was also increased from 25/30 to 33. He also increased the number of auxiliary corps (numerii), many of these troops coming from the Eastern borders. Additionally the annual wage for a soldier was raised from 300 to 500 denarii. Although his actions turned Rome into a military dictatorship, he was popular with the citizens of Rome, having stamped out the rampant corruption of Commodus's reign. When he returned from his victory over the Parthians, he erected the Arch of Septimius Severus in Rome. According to Cassius Dio,^[5] however, after 197 Severus fell heavily under the influence of his Praetorian Prefect, Gaius Fulvius Plautianus, who came to have almost total control of most branches of the imperial administration. Plautianus's daughter, Fulvia Plautilla, was married to Severus's son, Caracalla. Plautianus’s excessive power came to an end in 205, when he was denounced by the Emperor's dying brother and killed.^[6] The two following praefecti, including the jurist Aemilius Papinianus, received however even larger powers. Starting from 208 Severus undertook a number of military actions in Roman Britain, reconstructing Hadrian's Wall and campaigning in Scotland,^[7] before falling severely ill in Eboracum (York). He is famously said to have given the advise to his sons: "Be harmonious, enrich the soldiers, and scorn all other men" before he died at Eboracum on February 4, 211^[8]. Upon his death in 211, Severus was deified by the Senate and succeeded by his sons, Caracalla and Geta, who were advised by his wife Julia Domna.^[9] The stability Severus provided the Empire was soon gone under their reign. Ring size:"J" Size of intaglio:17.6 x 15 mm Weight of ring: 20 gr. Ref:INT0504



	Carnelian intaglio of Fortuna
	Carnelian intaglio of Fortuna holding the horn of plenty in one hand and an anchor in the other. In a high carat modern setting. Ref:IN03



	Coat of Arms Intaglio
	A late 17th century high carat gold ring inset with an intaglio carved carnelian of family arms. Probably Italian c.1690. Ref:IN04


SOLD	Intaglio of a Young Woman
	Carnelian intaglio of young woman circa 200 A.D. in a modern high carat setting. Ref:IN07 SOLD


SOLD	Carnelian intaglio ring, circa first cent. B.C.
	The image of the young maiden is of Hygieia, daughter of Asclepius, god of healing. The cult of Hygieia as an independent godess of wellbeing and the continuation of good health began after the oracle of Delphi recognized her in the fifth century B.C. The image of the intaglio is on a coin from Hieropolis, in today's Turkey. This ancient Greek city was built around the end of the third century B.C.on top of the hot springs of Pamukkale. Asclepius and Hygieia must have had statues in Hieropolis, since the town's fame and wealth was founded on the healing properties of the springs, so much so that the coin of the town showed Athene on one side and Hygieia on the other.The exactness of the image on the coin /Ref:SNG Levante 1576/ and the intaglio suggests that both are depicting " the" statue. Setting: first half of the last cent. Size of intaglio: 19mmx16mm Size of ring: Q, internal diameter: 20mm Weight: 12gr. Ref: INT8138 SOLD




SOLD	Carnelian Intaglio of Athena
	Large carnelian intaglio of Athena. Roman Circa 1st century A.D. Set in 22ct yellow gold, (the setting is modern) Ref IN01 SOLD

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