Byzantine Empire, circa 900 – 1100 AD.
The collection consists of four museum rarity carved gem cameos attributed to the following saints:
a 18.02 carat pink sapphire cameo (22 x 18 mm) carved with Saint Panteleimon the Healer. He is holding a long-handled spoon in his right hand and a medicine chest in his left. The saint was venerated as a healer and a protector of soldiers.
a 32.23 carat white topaz cameo (22 x 18 mm) carved with Saint Nicholas. He is wearing a bishop’s omophorion with large crosses. His right hand is raised in a gesture of blessing. He holds a Gospel book in his left hand.
a 9.73 carat green tourmaline cameo (17 x 11 mm) carved with Saint George holding a sword.
a 6.22 carat aquamarine cameo (15 x 11 mm) carved with Saint Demetrios of Thessaloniki holding a spear and a shield. He was one of the most important military saints and was often paired with St. George.
White topaz was mined in Ceylon, and in medieval jewelry, it was used primarily in ecclesiastical objects as a symbol of spiritual purity. Tourmalines and aquamarines were rare and exotic gemstones. Sapphires were brought from Ceylon and were expensive and highly desirable. Pink sapphires (same as rubies) were extremely rare and were praised for their red color which was considered a color of royalty and nobility.
These small gem cameos almost certainly served as personal devotional objects and belonged to a wealthy gemstone connoisseur. Likely, all four were made in about the same time and probably at the same workshop.
The collection is sold together with a copy of the AGL report 1093600 for the sapphire.
