Description:

Rome, Imperial Period, ca. 2nd to 3rd century CE. A beautiful ancient Roman oval intaglio finely carved from chalcedony of soft rose, lavender, and white hues - depicting a profile bust of a bearded emperor, perhaps Pertinax - a soldier as well as a politician who reigned for the first three months of the year 193, with noble facial features, a wavy coiffure adorned by a twisted diadem or laurel wreath, and handsome military garb with scalloped and striated details. A fabulous example, impressive for its artistry, technique, and iconography. Size: 1.2" W x 1.6" H (3 cm x 4.1 cm)

Pertinax was the son of a slave who rose to become an army officer. He fought valiantly in the Roman Parthian war (161-166), and this military performance led to elite ranks in politics as well as the military. His positions included provincial governor, urban prefect, and Roman Senator. Upon Commodus' death, Pertinax was named emperor. He sought reforms, one of which was to restore the discipline of the Praetorium Guard. Sadly, this led to his assassination by the Guard and ended his reign. The Emperor Septimus Severus would later deify Pertinax.

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; ex-Frances Artuner collection, Belgium, collected in the 1960s

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.

#134750

  • Condition: Very light surface wear commensurate with age but overall in excellent condition with nice deposits.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

Shipping

Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense

September 10, 2020 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 24.5% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000