Review:
'There can be few collections of gems and rings in private hands that are so large, rich and varied and which contain so many items of such importance. The tone is set by the very first item in the catalogue: a contemporary bust in the round of Queen Elizabeth as Hercules. There are important Greek and Roman gems and rings, and a rich assortment of Late Antique and Merovingian gems and rings, as well as Byzantine and Medieval gems and gem-settings, including spectacular works from the court of the Hohenstaufen Emperor Frederick II. For me the stars of the show lie in the Renaissance and Early Modern period, especially the representation of an Indian rhinoceros: a cameo carved by Jacopo da Trezzo. A number of the gems are recorded as having come from important old collections for instance those formally in the possession of, respectively, the Earl of Arundel, Cardinal Albani, Marlborough, Wyndham Cook and Sir John Evans. In reality many of the items are very small, and a great joy of the volume is the quite magnificent photography. In opening this volume you will be unlocking the doors of a Kunstkammer and viewing a cabinet of rare marvels.' --
Martin E Henig, Honorary Visiting Professor of Archaeology, Institute of Archaeology, University College London; formerly Supernumerary Fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford
'The three highly respected authors and the collector are to be congratulated on bringing this extensive private collection of engraved gems and cameos into the public arena. This catalogue will provide a visual feast for all those interested in the history of engraved gems and jewellery, and will be a foundation for specialist research for many years to come.' --
Jack Ogden, FSA, FGA, author of Jewellery (2006) and Ancient Jewellery (1996), co-author of The Art of Adornment (2013) and Greek Gold: Jewellery of the Classical World (1994)
About the Author:
Diana Scarisbrick, a noted authority on engraved gems, and a former Jewellery Editor at Harpers & Queen Magazine, is now a Research Associate at the Beazley Archive in the University of Oxford. Her many publications include Finger Rings: Ancient and Modern (2006) and Rings: Miniature Monuments to Love, Power and Devotion (2014). Claudia Wagner is a Senior Researcher at the Beazley Archive, where she directs the gems databases and research programme, and Senior Research Lecturer at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. She is co-author (with John Boardman) of The Marlborough Gems (2009). Sir John Boardman, FBA, is Emeritus Lincoln Professor of Classical Archaeology and Art in the University of Oxford. His many books include The History of Greek Vases (2006) The Oxford History of Classical Art (1997), The Oxford History of the Classical World (1986) and The World of Ancient Art (2006).
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