A remarkable discovery was made at the recent Fine Jewellery auction hosted by Fellows. Amongst the fine selection of jewellery was a gold ring featuring an intricate intaglio of a man's profile on it. Originally estimated at just £150 - £200, the ring eventually sold for an astonishing £90,000 (£117,000 including fees) – a whopping 450 times its original estimate.
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The ring was the penultimate lot in the bi-monthly jewellery auction and attracted fierce bidding from buyers around the world, with a telephone buyer ultimately emerging as the winner after 17 minutes.
The intaglio technique used on the ring involves carving a hollow impression into a gem or metal, often used for sealing documents. The auction featured a total of 11 intaglio pieces, including one dating back to 1 AD. All 11 pieces sold exceptionally well, with a carnelian fob achieving an impressive £12,870.
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The garnet intaglio on the ring is believed to possibly depict Augustus, the First Emperor of the Roman Empire who ruled from 27 BC to 14 AD. Augustus played a pivotal role in Roman history, ending a 13-year civil war after securing victory against Mark Anthony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC. His reign is often associated with imperial peace, or 'Pax Romana'.
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Business Development Manager, Nicola Whittaker, said, “I am delighted by the result of our Fine Jewellery auction. Not only did we achieve an amazing price for our vendor, but we also had the opportunity to handle an extremely interesting piece of jewellery history. It is rare to see such an intricately carved piece in such fine condition and it was a privilege to offer the ring for sale in our auction."
