ROMAN RED JASPER INTAGLIO OF AN EMPEROR IN GOLD PENDANT

Ca. AD 69. A red jasper intaglio of an emperor, possibly Vitellius, engraved in profile to the right, with short curled hair, a prominent eye, straight nose, fleshy lips and full cheeks. The intaglio is set in a possibly later oval gold pendant within a plain gold cell, encircled by concentric braided wire borders and an outer register of applied wire scrolls centred by pellets. A hinged suspension loop is attached above. Size: 49mm x 33mm; Weight: 11g Provenance: From a private London collection; earlier held in an old family collection formed over the period 1960s–2000. This item has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database and comes with a confirmation letter.