131 - TWO ROMAN GOLD AND AMETHYST EARRINGS, 3RD CENTURY AD

TWO ROMAN GOLD AND AMETHYST EARRINGS, 3RD CENTURY AD Roman Empire, 3 rd century AD. Finely worked, each earring centered by an oval amethyst cabochon set in a gold bezel and framed by an openwork border of looped gold wire, the lower edge suspending a cluster of three spherical deep blue glass beads. The reverse with a curved gold wire forming the ear hook. (2) Provenance: The private collection of Lloyd and Jeanne Raport, Washington DC and Florida, USA, acquired between 1972-2000. Lloyd and Jeanne Raport (1928-2025) were collectors of Greek, Roman, and Egyptian antiquities whose interest in ancient art developed during the 1960s. Largely self-taught, they studied auction catalogues and reference works extensively and formed a close friendship with archaeologist Dr. Gus W. Van Beek (1922-2012), curator of Old World Archaeology at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. Their interest in archaeology also led them to participate in a Smithsonian excavation at Tell Jemmeh in the Negev Desert, Israel. Over several decades, the Raports assembled a substantial collection while also becoming generous supporters of museums and universities. Beginning in 1984, they donated works to numerous institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Walters Art Museum, the Detroit Institute of Arts, and the Brooklyn Museum. The University of Maryland received more than 130 antiquities from the Raport Collection, forming an important study collection for teaching and research. Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Old repairs to the attached ear hook on one and the attachment of one glass bead on the other earring. Expected wear and weathering, bending to the gold wire, scattered encrustations. The amethysts with minor cracks, one with a small chip. Weight: 1.1 g (each) Dimensions: Width 1.4 and 1.2 cm Roman jewelry of the Imperial period favored striking combinations of gold with vividly colored gemstones and glass. By the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, earrings frequently incorporated colored stones, openwork gold elements, and pendant or clustered beads, creating a richly polychrome effect. Surviving examples combine gold with garnet, beryl, chalcedony, glass, and other colored materials, reflecting the Roman taste for jewelry in which contrasting colors and elaborate goldwork enhanced one another. Literature comparison: Compare a related pair of Roman gold earrings with green chalcedony and glass elements, Late Imperial Period, 2 nd-3 rd century AD, 3.2 cm high, in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, object no. 74.51.3961. Compare a related Roman gold earring of hook type with an agate setting and three pendants, 3 rd century AD, 2.8 cm high, in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, object no. 74.51.3950. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Gorny & Mosch Munich, 12 July 2023, lot 111 Price: EUR 1,263.50 or approx. EUR 1,400 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A pair of Roman gold bow earrings set with red carnelian and blue glass, 3rd century AD Expert remark: Compare the nearly identical dating, gold bow construction, oval reddish hardstone setting, and blue glass bead decoration. Note the larger size (3 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s New York, 7 December 2006, lot 310 Price: USD 5,040 or approx. EUR 7,400 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 closely related dating, arching ear hooks, openwork gold elements, colored cabochon settings, and contrasting blue glass bead decoration. Note the larger size (3.8 cm).