Lot 608

Roman Silver Ring, Green Plasma Intaglio of Mercury

Previous image preload Next image preload
Back to catalog
Lot 608
image_0 image_1
Roman Silver Ring, Green Plasma Intaglio of Mercury
Roman Silver Ring, Green Plasma Intaglio of Mercury
image_0 image_1

Roman Silver Ring, Green Plasma Intaglio of Mercury

Estimate: $800 - $1,200

Starting Bid: $400

(0 Bids)
by Artemis Fine Arts
July 30, 2026 8:00 AM MDT
Live Auction
686 S. Taylor Avenue
Suite 108
Louisville, CO, US 80027

Roman, Imperial period, ca. 100–300 CE. A silver finger ring set with an oval intaglio of dark green plasma, a chalcedony variety commonly used in Roman glyptic art. The face is incised with Mercury, messenger of the gods, rendered as a nude youth in contrapposto. He holds a caduceus in one hand and a purse in the other, with a winged petasos on his head — emblems of the deity who governed commerce, travel, eloquence, and the passage of souls. The silver hoop swells to a rounded bezel that grips the stone, its form worn soft by age and handling. Such signet rings served as ornament, personal seal, and talisman, pressed into wax to authenticate correspondence and worn to invoke divine favor over the wearer's fortunes and journeys. Size of intaglio: 0.3" W x 0.4" H (0.8 cm W x 1.0 cm H); of ring: 1" D x 0.4" H (2.5 cm D x 1.0 cm H); US ring size: 8.25; silver quality: 94.8%; weight: 5.6 grams.

Mercury (the Roman Hermes) was among the most frequently engraved deities in Roman gem-carving, a natural patron for the merchants, traders, and travelers who formed much of the ring-wearing citizenry. His attributes read as a compact vocabulary: the caduceus, a herald's staff entwined by serpents, marked him as divine messenger and negotiator of peace; the marsupium, or money-purse, tied him to trade and prosperity; and the winged petasos and sandals signaled his swiftness across the boundaries of the mortal and divine worlds. As psychopomp, he also guided the dead to the underworld, lending such an intaglio a protective, apotropaic dimension beyond its everyday use as a sealing device.

Plasma, a dense green variety of microcrystalline quartz (chalcedony), was prized by Roman engravers for its even tone and fine grain, which held crisp detail under the drill and wheel.

Please note that this ring is of ovoid form and thus may not fully correspond with the US ring size stated in the dimensions. The interior of the ring measures to 19 mm by 20 mm, which more closely corresponds to a US ring size of 9.25 to 10.25.

Provenance: private Arden, North Carolina, USA collection, acquired 2025; ex-Palmyra Heritage Gallery, New York, New York, USA; ex-private Vienna, Austria collection, acquired 1990s

SHIPPING: We coordinate worldwide shipping in-house through specialist international forwarders experienced with fine art and antiquities customs manifests. International buyers must confirm, prior to bidding, that their country's customs authority will accept the item. All duties, taxes, clearance fees, and any costs arising from customs delays, seizures, re-export, returns, or loss in transit are the buyer's sole responsibility. Artemis assumes no liability for items refused entry, detained, or lost after export. We cannot ship ancient items to their country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.).

PAYMENT EXCEPTION: For clients not previously established with Artemis, payment for all gold, precious metal, and gemstone lots must be made by bank wire transfer or certified bank check/money order, without exception.

Item # 203602

  • Condition: Small chip to lower edge of intaglio as well as some chipping to pie crust bezel. Some expected surface wear commensurate with age, but, otherwise, intact, excellent, and wearable with clear imagery.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Bidder Can Make Shipping Arrangements, Local Pick-Up, In-House Shipping

Artemis Fine Arts

You agree to pay a buyer’s premium, as outlined below, and any applicable taxes and shipping.
Buyer's Premium
$1 - $249,999:
35.00%
$250,000+:
35.00%

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $749 $25
$750 $1,499 $50
$1,500 $2,999 $100
$3,000 $7,499 $250
$7,500 $14,999 $500
$15,000 $29,999 $1,000
$30,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 + $10,000