It was quite possible that at least some of the intaglios cut with classical motifs were Roman and brought back from the Grand Tour for mounting with additional stones.
The box was labelled for Harvey & Gore of 1 Vigo Street – an address the venerable firm (established in Aldgate as Alston and Grayhurst in 1723) occupied from c.1870.
The firm’s logo, said to have been designed by William Hogarth, includes the sign of a boar, representing the Blue Boar Inn close to the firm’s original location in Aldgate.
Roman ring dating from the 2nd-4th century – £5000 at Elstob & Elstob.
Also pictured (above) is a Roman ring dating from the 2nd-4th century that formed part of Elstob & Elstob’s (20% buyer’s premium) inaugural sale at Bedale Hall on March 24.
Sold at £5000, the ring with an intaglio depicting Achilles and Patroclus was set within a heavy gold mount. It was accompanied by Oxford laboratory paperwork certifying authenticity.
