Lot 74
ROMAN GOLD RING WITH NICOLO INTAGLIO
C. 1ST - 2ND CENTURY A.D.
Auction: 26 November 2026 from 14:00 GMT
Description
gold ring with thick oval bezel bearing a centrally set nicolo intaglio of a dolphin, a staff, and a bird
Dimensions
UK: G US: 3¼
Provenance
Acquired by Stanley J. Seeger (1930–2011);
Thence by descent.
Footnote
Nicolo is a style of engraving which uses a banded onyx or agate and carves through the paler upper layers of stone to reveal a darker layer enabling the design to stand out. Resultantly, nicolo was popular for use in Roman intaglio rings due to the clarity of image it could create. The symbols forming the intaglio on this ring are not suggestive of any particular deity, although dolphins have been linked to both Venus and Bacchus through various mythical traditions. The unusual combination of symbols may, therefore, have been developed with special relevance to its owner. A unique and clear intaglio was important for use as a seal for reasons of distinction and document security.