Description:

Roman or early Byzantine, ca. 3rd to 6th century CE. A really stunning gold ring with a round piece of red glass incised with a figure of a running leopard. The ring has a wide, gold band with a custom gold setting that has four relief frogs encircling the glass. All of the frogs once had emerald eyes, of which now one remains. The leopard is well-rendered, with his long, curved tail extended out behind him and his legs in a dynamic pose. The leopard was a symbol of virility in this culture, and the god Bacchus, patron of a highly sexualized mystery cult, is often depicted wearing a leopard skin and / or riding a leopard. Size: 1" L x .875" W (2.5 cm x 2.2 cm); glass size: .5" L x .625" W (1.3 cm x 1.6 cm), US ring size: 9.5, total weight (with glass): 5.3 grams

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection

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#127418

  • Condition: Band is very slightly bent, but the piece is still wearable. Very light scratching to glass face. One of the emerald eyes on the frog remains.

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December 5, 2017 7:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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$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 $2,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000