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607 - FANTASTIC CASTELLANI-INSPIRED ITALIAN GOLD BRACELET WITH ROM…

Estimate 7 500 £GB - 15 000 £GB

Description

FANTASTIC CASTELLANI-INSPIRED ITALIAN GOLD BRACELET WITH ROMAN INTAGLIOS Ca. 19th century AD. A gold bracelet composed of eight oval Roman intagli in carnelian, nicolo, banded agate and pale chalcedony, assembled within an elaborate later Neoclassical gold mounting. Each gem is secured within a plain collet and encircled by a boldly twisted rope border, the individual settings joined by openwork links and finely worked filigree rosettes enriched with granulated details. The composition is dominated by the larger central intaglio in banded agate, engraved with Mars standing in profile, fully armed with crested helmet, spear and circular shield bearing a radiating device. The remaining gems form a deliberately Roman iconographic cycle, combining divinities, celebrated historical figures, foundation legends and emblems of imperial authority. Among them is a finely engraved laureate portrait traditionally identified as Julius Caesar, together with a figure interpreted as Hephaestus working at his forge. A further carnelian depicts a horse beside an upright *gladius*, whilst another presents the chariot of Jupiter accompanied by two eagles, here employed as powerful allusions to Roman military and divine supremacy. The animal imagery includes a lion beneath a crescent moon and star, and the celebrated *lupa lactans* suckling Romulus and Remus, the archetypal emblem of RomeÕs legendary foundation. Completing the sequence is a pale chalcedony engraved with an arrangement of enigmatic linear characters, probably intended as a magical or protective device. The carefully graduated proportions, chromatic alternation of translucent orange, milky white and deep blue-black stones, and rhythmic succession of rosettes lend the bracelet an exceptionally rich yet balanced appearance. Its sophisticated goldwork, archaeological vocabulary and revivalist presentation recall the celebrated jewellery produced in nineteenth-century Rome by the Castellani family and their circle, without implying a direct attribution. The openwork clasp is ornamented with scrolling filigree and accompanied by a safety chain and pendant terminal. The bracelet is preserved in very good overall condition, with light surface wear, minor scratches and occasional small abrasions to the intagli consistent with age; the engraved subjects remain remarkably crisp and legible, whilst the intricate ropework, rosettes and openwork elements retain their strong sculptural definition. For similar see: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Object Number: 99.33.1; The British Museum, Museum number 1978,1002.426, 1978,1002.127. Size: 30mm x 160mm; Weight: 47g Provenance: UK private collection; formerly in a Paris-based collection formed during the 1970s. This item has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database and comes with a confirmation letter.

About the sale FINE ANCIENT JEWELLERY AND BEADS - THE PRINCE COLLECTION

Auction location

Auction time 03/10/2026 à 14h00

Pictures credits:

Apollo Art Auctions Ltd