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DESCRIPTION |
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O
ffered
for sale here is a truly rare and exceptional
intaglio Ring. The ring is solid 14k yellow gold, and
is set with a magnificent hand carved Georgian period
chalcedony intaglio of the Gorgon Medusa. T his intaglio is an example of the best gem engraving the late 18th to early 19th century has to offer. The subject of the intaglio is the Medusa Strozzi. T he Medusa Strozzi is one of the great treasures in the British Museum. The Medusa Strozzi was found in a vineyard on the Caelian Hill in Rome in the early 18th century. It is an ancient Roman intaglio made during the early Imperial Period, and is probably a copy of an earlier Greek original. The Medusa Strozzi became part of the Baron Strozzi’s collection in the 18th century, hence its name. It eventually became part of the collections of the British Museum, where it resides to this day. The Medusa Strozzi is cut in cloudy chalcedony. Chalcedony is a bluish-white crypto-crystalline quartz (agate). Its appearance, in the best material, is sky blue; however blue white is the norm. T his intaglio here (a Georgian copy of the Strozzi Medusa) was found in a badly damaged silver Georgian ring that still retained traces of gilding. The ring was beyond repair (missing most of its band, worn through and its underside was crushed in places) but the intaglio was in wonderful condition. This intaglio is a magnificent copy of the Medusa Strozzi described above. This copy is cut from blue-white on brown banded chalcedony (I guarantee that this intaglio is hand engraved in genuine stone, it is not a molded copy of any type!). The intaglio has been cut partially through the blue layer of the stone to highlight the face of the carving in the brown layer below. This has a very striking effect and is known as a "nicolo" intaglio. Nicolo usually means blue-white on black agate but in this case it is blue-white on brown agate. The engraving is done with great finesse and skill. It is highly polished and bears only minor scratches (mostly on the upper surface). The engraving is sadly not signed. T his intaglio here (a Georgian copy of the Strozzi Medusa) was found in a badly damaged silver Georgian ring that still retained traces of gilding. The ring was beyond repair (missing most of its band, worn through and its underside was crushed in places) but the intaglio was in wonderful condition. This intaglio is a magnificent copy of the Medusa Strozzi described above. This copy is cut from blue-white on brown banded chalcedony (I guarantee that this intaglio is hand engraved in genuine stone, it is not a molded copy of any type!). The intaglio has been cut partially through the blue layer of the stone to highlight the face of the carving in the brown layer below. This has a very striking effect and is known as a "nicolo" intaglio. Nicolo usually means blue-white on black agate but in this case it is blue-white on brown agate. The engraving is done with great finesse and skill. It is highly polished and bears only minor scratches (mostly on the upper surface). The engraving is sadly not signed. NOTE: Reference material: -Engraved Gems of the Romans by G. M. A. Richter, #694 -Classical Gems etc. by Martin Henig, #712 -Engraved Gems by Duffield Osborne, Plate XX, #8 -The Handbook of Engraved Gems by C. W. King(1885 ed.), Plate LXXXIII, #4 and cover |