202 - Byzantine Gold Ring with Square Bezel and Inscription. The Kal Noselson Byzantine Collection (Lots 197-221 & 1396-1447)

Byzantine Gold Ring with Square Bezel and Inscription. The Kal Noselson Byzantine Collection (Lots 197-221 & 1396-1447) Circa 6th-8th century A.D. Flat rectangular bezel flanked at each shoulder by a cluster of granules, border of punched triangles enclosing Greek legend '?EO??PA K C'. Cf. Wamser, L., Die Welt von Byzanz - Europas stliches Erbe, M nchen, 2004, item 640, for type; Boardman, J. & Scarisbrick, D., The Ralph Harari Collection of Finger Rings, London, 1977, item 109, for a 6th-century example of the type. 4.92 grams, 21.72 mm overall, 18.23 mm internal diameter (approximate size British O, USA 7, Europe 14.98, Japan 14) (7/8 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.) Private collection of Kal Noselson, New York, acquired between 1976 and the late 1990s; thence by descent. The ring belongs to an unconventional category of 6th-century A.D. Eastern Roman rings, featuring a rectangular bezel and the junction of the bezel and hoop with six gold pellets at each shoulder. The inscription could be interpreted as '?EO??PAK[I]C' (of Theodorakis). 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.