201 - Byzantine Gold Ring with Engraved Tetragram. The Kal Noselson Byzantine Collection (Lots 197-221 & 1396-1447)

Byzantine Gold Ring with Engraved Tetragram. The Kal Noselson Byzantine Collection (Lots 197-221 & 1396-1447) Circa 8th century B.C. Oblate bezel with recessed panel in the upper face, reserved tetragram with letters 'B O H ? H C o ?, K y p I E' = 'Help, Lord'; traces of enamel fill. Cf. Chadour, A.B., Rings. The Alice and Louis Koch Collection, volume I, Leeds, 1994, item 494, for an earlier version of the type. 8.06 grams, 24.19 mm overall, 20.04 x 18.33 mm internal diameter (approximate size British Q 1/2, USA 8 1/4, Europe 18.12, Japan 17) (1 in.). [A video of this lot is available to view on TimeLine Auctions Website] (For this specific lot, 5% import VAT is applicable on the hammer price.) Acquired from Derek Content, 8 May 1976. Private collection of Kal Noselson, New York, acquired between 1976 and the late 1990s; thence by descent. Accompanied by an original handwritten invoice from Derek Content, 8 May 1976. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.13408- 259828. The invocation ????????, ?????(Help, Lord) is common in Eastern Roman tetragrams. It was the usual invocation used in baptism or other religious celebrations, but also a strong appeal for help from the Almighty in war or in other difficulties. Therefore, the inscription on the ring can be assumed to have a prophylactic function. TimeLine Auctions follows a rigorous vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists. See our website for more information.