Provenance Information

By 2012, Anonymous Donor, New York; [1] Gift to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA), Richmond, Virginia, September 19, 2012. [2]

[1] Per the donor, the objects were purchased from a variety of dealers in the years 1983-1989. The donor reports that they were purchasing from the following dealers within this time frame, although this cannot be further verified: Jack Ogden, London; Ariadne Galleries, New York; Mele Galleries, New York; Harmer-Rooke Galleries, New York; Pyramide Galleries, Paris.

[2] Information in VMFA Curatorial and Registration files.

Exhibition Information

No information is currently available.

Publication Information

No information is currently available.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Cumulative facts and circumstances

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

The donor of this object acquired a number of works of ancient jewelry and other small objects on the art market between ca. 1983 and ca. 1989. VMFA decided to make an exception to the AAMD guidelines in order to bring these objects into a free, publicly accessible, educational institution, where they could be studied, displayed and publicized. The works represent a broad sampling of gems, encompassing a representative collection of intaglios spanning the chronology and cultures of the Mediterranean. The donor of this object had made donations to the VMFA since 1982.

Provenance Information

By 2012, Anonymous Donor, New York; [1] Gift to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA), Richmond, Virginia, September 19, 2012. [2]

[1] Per the donor, the objects were purchased from a variety of dealers in the years 1983-1989. The donor reports that they were purchasing from the following dealers within this time frame, although this cannot be further verified: Jack Ogden, London; Ariadne Galleries, New York; Mele Galleries, New York; Harmer-Rooke Galleries, New York; Pyramide Galleries, Paris.

[2] Information in VMFA Curatorial and Registration files.

Exhibition Information

No information is currently available.

Publication Information

No information is currently available.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Cumulative facts and circumstances

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

The donor of this object acquired a number of works of ancient jewelry and other small objects on the art market between ca. 1983 and ca. 1989. VMFA decided to make an exception to the AAMD guidelines in order to bring these objects into a free, publicly accessible, educational institution, where they could be studied, displayed and publicized. The works represent a broad sampling of gems, encompassing a representative collection of intaglios spanning the chronology and cultures of the Mediterranean. The donor of this object had made donations to the VMFA since 1982.

Provenance Information

By 2012, Anonymous Donor, New York; [1] Gift to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA), Richmond, Virginia, September 19, 2012. [2]

[1] Per the donor, the objects were purchased from a variety of dealers in the years 1983-1989. The donor reports that they were purchasing from the following dealers within this time frame, although this cannot be further verified: Jack Ogden, London; Ariadne Galleries, New York; Mele Galleries, New York; Harmer-Rooke Galleries, New York; Pyramide Galleries, Paris.

[2] Information in VMFA Curatorial and Registration files.

Exhibition Information

No information is currently available.

Publication Information

No information is currently available.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Cumulative facts and circumstances

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

The donor of this object acquired a number of works of ancient jewelry and other small objects on the art market between ca. 1983 and ca. 1989. VMFA decided to make an exception to the AAMD guidelines in order to bring these objects into a free, publicly accessible, educational institution, where they could be studied, displayed and publicized. The works represent a broad sampling of gems, encompassing a representative collection of intaglios spanning the chronology and cultures of the Mediterranean. The donor of this object had made donations to the VMFA since 1982.

Provenance Information

By 2012, Anonymous Donor, New York; [1] Gift to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA), Richmond, Virginia, September 19, 2012. [2]



[1] Per the donor, the objects were purchased from a variety of dealers in the years 1983-1989. The donor reports that they were purchasing from the following dealers within this time frame, although this cannot be further verified: Jack Ogden, London; Ariadne Galleries, New York; Mele Galleries, New York; Harmer-Rooke Galleries, New York; Pyramide Galleries, Paris.

[2] Information in VMFA Curatorial and Registration files.

Exhibition Information

No information is currently available.

Publication Information

No information is currently available.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Cumulative facts and circumstances

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

The donor of this object acquired a number of works of ancient jewelry and other small objects on the art market between ca. 1983 and ca. 1989. VMFA decided to make an exception to the AAMD guidelines in order to bring these objects into a free, publicly accessible, educational institution, where they could be studied, displayed and publicized. The works represent a broad sampling of gems, encompassing a representative collection of intaglios spanning the chronology and cultures of the Mediterranean. The donor of this object had made donations to the VMFA since 1982.

Provenance Information

Ex European Collection, 1980s. With Fortuna Fine Arts, New York, New York, 2004. Ex coll. Michael Shubin (1950-2008), Montebello, California, purchased from Christie's New York, December 7, 2006, lot 257.

Exhibition Information

To Dress in Gold: Jewelry of the Ancient World, Fortuna Gallery, New York, 2004;
Monsters, Demons & Winged Beasts: Composite Creatures in the Ancient World, Michael C. Carlos Museum, February 5 - June 19, 2011

Publication Information

To Dress in Gold: Jewelry of the Ancient World (New York: Fortuna Fine Arts, 2004), number 94.;
Christie's New York, Ancient Jewelry (December 7, 2006), 258, lot 257.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Partial interest received prior to 2008

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

Conversation with donors began prior to 2008.

Provenance Information

Ex coll. Michael Shubin (1950-2008), Montebello, California, acquired from Kevork Simonian [Nomis Antiquities], Van Nuys, California, June 24, 1994.

Exhibition Information

To our knowledge, this object has never been exhibited.

Publication Information

To our knowledge, this object has never been published.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Partial interest received prior to 2008

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

This object came in as the second part of an initial gift that was accepted under the guidelines of the 2004 AAMD Report on the Acquisition of Archaeological Materials and Ancient Art as an extraordinary teaching resource.

Provenance Information

Ex coll. Michael Shubin (1950-2008), Montebello, California, acquired from Simon Ohan Simonian, California, September 20, 1991.

Exhibition Information

To our knowledge, this object has never been exhibited.

Publication Information

To our knowledge, this object has never been published.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Partial interest received prior to 2008

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

The initial gift was accepted under the guidelines of the 2004 AAMD Report on the Acquisition of Archaeological Materials and Ancient Art as an extraordinary teaching resource.

Provenance Information

Ex coll. Michael Shubin (1950-2008), Montebello, California, acquired from Simon Ohan Simonian, California, September 20, 1991.

Exhibition Information

To our knowledge, this object has never been exhibited.

Publication Information

To our knowledge, this object has never been published.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Partial interest received prior to 2008

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

The initial gift was accepted under the guidelines of the 2004 AAMD Report on the Acquisition of Archaeological Materials and Ancient Art as an extraordinary teaching resource.

Provenance Information

Circa 1985: Ariadne Galleries, New York; 1985-2009: Anonymous Donor, New York (Accession Date: September 17, 2009)

Exhibition Information

The work has been on display at VMFA since December of 2010 in the Museum’s Greek, Roman & Hellenistic Galleries.

Publication Information

No information available.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Cumulative facts and circumstances

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

This work has a provenance established to circa 1985. The donor of this object acquired a number of works of ancient jewelry on the art market between the late 1970s and ca. 1993. Most are common types for which there is no additional provenance information. VMFA decided to make an exception to the AAMD guidelines in order to bring this object into a free, publicly accessible, educational institution, where it could be studied, displayed, and publicized.

Provenance Information

Circa 1985: Jack Ogden, London; 1985-2009: Anonymous Donor, New York (Accession Date: September 17, 2009)

Exhibition Information

The work has been on display at VMFA since December of 2010 in the Museum’s Greek, Roman & Hellenistic Galleries.

Publication Information

No information available.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Cumulative facts and circumstances

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

This work has a provenance established to circa 1985. The donor of this object acquired a number of works of ancient jewelry on the art market between the late 1970s and ca. 1993. Most are common types for which there is no additional provenance information. VMFA decided to make an exception to the AAMD guidelines in order to bring this object into a free, publicly accessible, educational institution, where it could be studied, displayed, and publicized.