Apollo Art Auctions offers up a dazzling selection of Important Ancient Jewellery to start the year

LONDON, Jan. 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Following a year marked by growing interest in precious metals and the wider jewellery market, Apollo Art Auctions is delighted to begin the New Year with a sale of historically significant works: Important Ancient Jewellery.

Commencing on the 31st of January 2026 at 1 pm G.M.T. The auction brings together one of the most comprehensive assemblages of ancient jewellery to appear on the market in recent years, appealing to collectors, institutions, and investors worldwide. The bidding will take place at the Apollo Art Auctions Showroom 63-64 Margaret Street, London, W1W 8SW as well as online via Apollo Art Auctions Platform, LiveAuctioneers, The Saleroom and Invaluable.

A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link.

This remarkable auction brings together nearly 500 lots, crafted with gold, silver, and other precious metals, gems, jewellery and inlays. Spanning over three millennia of history, it ranges from the early Bronze Age to the Late Medieval Period, celebrating the intricate craftsmanship of ancient jewellery.

Notable highlights include:

Lot 18, An incredibly rare Roman high-karat gold architectural openwork ring set with an amethyst intaglio depicting imperial busts. This exceptional piece reflects the high social status associated with elite jewellery in the Late Roman period and was likely commissioned by, or for, a member of the upper class of society, possibly as an official or diplomatic gift. Such rings functioned not only as personal adornment but also as symbols of authority and vessels of imperial imagery. Amethyst, long associated with power, sobriety, and the god Bacchus (Dionysus), was especially favoured by Roman elites and later imperial circles. The ring originates from the collection of Maurice Bouvier (1901–1981).

Lot 32, A Crusader high-karat gold ring depicting Saint Maurice, a historically significant object likely associated with a knight of the Third Crusade (1189–1192). Led in part by Richard the Lionheart, Crusader forces advanced toward Jerusalem in an effort to ‘reclaim’ the Holy Land from Ayyubid control under Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn (Saladin), leading to battles such as the Battle of Arsuf in 1191. Rings of this nature served as personal expressions of faith, protection, and penitence, and would have accompanied their owners on both military and spiritual journeys. This piece stands as a powerful testament to medieval devotion, chivalric identity, and crusading ideology.

Lastly, is lot 129, an outstanding Roman solid high-karat gold ring engraved with the mythological scene of Leda and the Swan. Gold, a highly priced material in Ancient Rome, was worn by the wealthy as a clear indicator of social rank and privilege. This heavy, solid 23-karat gold example features one of the most popular mythological themes of the Roman world, symbolising fertility, sensuality, and divine interaction. The subject reflects Roman fascination with Greek mythology and the complex relationship between gods and mortals.

The auction presents an exceptional selection of well provenanced pieces, highlighted by notable examples from the Prince Collection, distinguished by its royal associations, the Nolte collection, which held an exceptional selection of Phoenician beads, and the Groppi Collection, one of the most important private collections of ancient Egyptian glass of its time. With more than 70 jewels being published and studied in New York in the early 1990’s by Dr. Jack Ogden, accompanied by the original scholarly publications, offering a rare opportunity to acquire works of established academic importance and rarity.

For enquiries: enquiries@apolloauctions.com or call (+44) 7424 994167
Visit www.apolloauctions.com for more information.

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