Gorgeous Roman Amethyst & Gold Bead Necklace

About Auction

Live

Antiquities | Asian | Ethnographic Art

By Artemis Gallery

Jul 1, 2021

Set Reminder 2021-07-01 10:00:00 2021-07-01 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Antiquities | Asian | Ethnographic Art https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/antiquities-asian-ethnographic-art-7148
Featuring classical antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art from cultures encompassing the globe. Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern, Asian, Pre-Columbian, Native American, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Spanish Colonial, Russian, Fossils, Fine Art, more! All legally acquired, legal to sell. Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com

View Full Catalog (345)

• Lot Description
  Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 4th century CE. A spectacular necklace comprised of over forty ancient beads carved from amethyst with a 92.4% (equivalent to 22K+) gold pendant at the center. Each amethyst bead is skillfully formed into a nice variety of shapes including barrel, spherical, teardrop, and faceted with carinated edges. The stones exhibit wonderful hues from semi-translucent purple and creamy lilac to a deep glimmering violet. All is strung in a symmetrical arrangement that tapers from the larger beads to the smallest at the center. The gold pendant is comprised of a hollow disc with an integral loop and triangular arrangements of granulation on both faces and at the tip. This is a mesmerizing collection of stone and gold artistry. The strand is strung in modern times on a modern wire and completed with a modern gold-plated barrel twist clasp. Size of necklace: 16.25" L (41.3 cm); gold pendant: 0.6" L x 0.4" W (1.5 cm x 1 cm); largest amethyst bead: 0.675" L x 0.375" W (1.7 cm x 1 cm)
  
  Some say that the Romans and Greeks believed that amethyst possessed the power to prevent drunkenness. A myth about Bacchus, the god of wine, has inspired this belief. Here is how the International Gem Society tells this story which has actually been traced to the Renaissance rather than the Classical World, "Long ago, a beautiful maiden was on her way to worship at the Temple of Diana. However, she had the misfortune of crossing paths with the god of wine, Bacchus. Angered since he’d just suffered some slight, he'd vowed to take revenge on the next person he met. He spied the maid and unleashed his two guardian tigers upon her. As the great beasts bounded towards the hapless lass, the goddess Diana intervened. To spare her such a terrible fate, she turned her into a pure, clear stone. Immediately, remorse seized Bacchus. To atone for his actions, he poured his wine over the stone, staining the crystal a deep, violet hue. And so, the maiden Amethyst lent her name to the crystal."
  
  Provenance: private New York, USA collection, 2000; ex-private New York, New York, USA
  
  All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
  
  A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
  
  We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
  
  #165000

  Condition

  Nicks and chips to beads. Stable fissures and light mineral deposits. Bending to loop and small indentation to gold pendant. Strung in modern times on a modern wire. We recommend restringing to make more secure if the intent is to wear this.
• Shipping Info

  • All shipping is handled in-house for your convenience. Your invoice from Artemis Gallery will include shipping calculation instructions. If in doubt, please inquire BEFORE bidding for estimated shipping costs for individual items.

• Buyer's Premium
  • 26.50 %