133 - A PAIR OF ROMAN GEMSTONE-INLAID GOLD EARRINGS, CIRCA 3RD-4TH CENTURY

A PAIR OF ROMAN GEMSTONE-INLAID GOLD EARRINGS, CIRCA 3RD-4TH CENTURY Each finely crafted from thin sheet gold with rich granulated decoration, with a circular panel centered by an inset pearl, above a square section set with a gemstone and framed by flower buds, and two pendant elements decorated with further floral motifs and terminating in an amethyst drop. The reverse fitted with a hook for suspension from the earlobe. (2) Provenance: Collection of Derek J. Content, London, United Kingdom. Thereafter in the collection of Georgia Chrischilles, Brussels, Belgium, according to Sue Ollemans acquired from the above in the 1980s, and thence by descent to her brother Rolf Chrischilles, Vaucluse, France, and thence by further descent. Sue Ollemans, London, by April 2025. A copy of a provenance statement by Sue Ollemans, dated 8 July 2025 and confirming the above, accompanies the lot. Derek J. Content is a renowned American collector and scholar of Dutch descent whose interests have focused particularly on ancient gems, engraved stones, and historic jewelry. Over the course of several decades, he assembled the Content Family Collection, an exceptional group of carved stones and jeweled objects ranging from Classical Antiquity through the medieval and early modern periods. The collection became especially renowned for its ancient cameos, combining unusual breadth with examples of considerable rarity, technical sophistication, and scholarly interest. Parts of the collection were exhibited at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford between 1990 and 2000 and were the subject of extensive scholarly publication. In 2022, the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden in Leiden acquired 444 cameos from the collection. The acquisition substantially strengthened the engraved-stone holdings at the museum and placed them among the most significant collections of this material in Europe. Georgia Chrischilles (d. 2017) was a German-born antiquarian and dealer who became a recognized specialist in Asian art and ancient jewelry. Based in Brussels from 1984, she began her career in contemporary art before developing a particular interest in the artistic traditions of the Himalayas, Tibet, Mongolia, Central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. Her activity encompassed Buddhist and Hindu sculpture, Bactrian and Graeco-Buddhist material, bronzes and ritual objects, as well as jewelry, with a particular expertise in tribal jewelry from the ancient world. Chrischilles was also the founder and president of the Brussels Oriental Art Fair (BOAF), which brought together international specialists in Asian art and established an important platform for the field in Brussels. Objects handled by her subsequently entered notable private and museum collections, reflecting the international reach of her activity as a dealer and specialist. Condition: Good condition with expected wear, manufacturing irregularities, signs of prolonged burial, encrustations, few minor losses. As with all ancient jewelry, later reworking, alterations, and additions cannot be excluded. Weight: 11.3 g (total) Dimensions: Length 4.8 cm (each) Literature comparison: Compare a pair of related Roman glass-inlaid gold earrings, dated to the fourth quarter of the 2nd century BC, 5.5 cm long, in the Musée du Louvre, inventory number MND 1290. Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Christie’s New York, 8 December 1999, lot 75 Price: USD 13,800 or approx. EUR 24,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A pair of Roman gold and garnet earrings, Syria, circa 2nd century AD Expert remark: Compare the related decoration and craftsmanship with similar granulation. Note the size (7.1 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Christie’s New York, 7 December 2006, lot 310 Price: USD 5,040 or approx. EUR 7,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A pair of Roman gold, glass and garnet earrings, circa 3rd century AD Expert remark: Compare the related decoration and craftsmanship. Note the size (3.8 cm). Due to length restriction on Drouot this entry is shortened. For full description please visit www.zacke.at.