A distinguished and scholarly antique ring centred on a finely engraved agate intaglio depicting Achilles, the greatest warrior of the Greek army in the Trojan War. The agate was carved in the early 19th century — a period of intense classical revival when engraved hardstone intaglios and cameos were among the most prized and collected objects of the Grand Tour — and is bezel set into a later 18ct gold mount. The carving is of large format at 3.3 × 2.5cm, allowing the engraver to render Achilles with a detail and expressiveness that smaller intaglios rarely achieve. The subject — Achilles, son of Peleus and the sea nymph Thetis, hero of Homer's Iliad — was one of the most popular in the classical engraver's repertoire, prized for its associations with martial virtue, heroism, and invincibility.

A piece for the serious collector of antique hardstone engraving or classical antiquities — a large-format early 19th century agate intaglio of this quality and subject matter, set in an 18ct gold mount, is a genuinely rare and important find.

The Details

• Subject: Achilles (Greek hero, Trojan War)
• Intaglio: Engraved agate, early 19th century
• Mount: 18ct yellow gold, bezel set, 20th century
• Ring Size: N½ (UK)
• Dimensions: 3.3 × 2.5cm
• Hallmarks: Tests as 18ct gold