132 - A FINE ROMAN GOLD EARRING WITH A GRANULATED PENDANT, CIRCA 1ST-3RD CENTURY AD

A FINE ROMAN GOLD EARRING WITH A GRANULATED PENDANT, CIRCA 1ST-3RD CENTURY AD Roman Empire. Finely worked, the slender gold wire hoop suspending an elongated pendant. The upper section is finely ribbed to imitate tightly coiled wire, while the oval terminal is divided by raised ribs and decorated between them with rows of granulation. 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: Very good condition, commensurate with age. Expected wear and weathering, expected warping to the gold wire, scattered encrustations, and the inlaid bead to the center possibly lost. Weight: 4.2 g Dimensions: Height 3.1 cm Literature comparison: Compare a closely related Roman gold earring with clustered sphere, Imperial Period, 2 nd-3 rd century AD, 5.1 cm high, in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, object no. 74.51.3172. Compare a related Roman gold earring, Imperial Period, 2 nd-3 rd century AD, 2.3 cm high, in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, object no. 74.51.3255. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s New York, 5 December 2012, lot 424 Price: USD 3,750 or approx. EUR 4,800 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A pair of Roman gold earrings, circa 3 rd century AD Expert remark: Compare the closely related dating, slender earwire, spirally ribbed pendant construction, and granulated decoration. Note the larger size (4.5 cm).