Messages

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: I need help authenticating an ancient roman ring?

« on: October 28, 2013, 02:08:11 pm »

(Bucket list) Learn a valuable/costly lesson about buying something you have no knowledge about: Check.

What makes this even more frustrating for me is that I dont have another picture of an authentic similar ring to compare it to like those in the link. Now im sort of on a mission to find out for sure about it.

I sincerely thank all of you for your feedback sofar.

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: I need help authenticating an ancient roman ring?

« on: October 28, 2013, 01:29:38 pm »

I assumed (wrongly apparantley) that surely, along with the ring itself, I would be sent more information on the ring: where it was purchased, lot number at auction, etc in addition to the authenticity certificate I was provided.

My question is, how do you know if a seller is genuine, other than basing your judgement just on what their telling you?

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: I need help authenticating an ancient roman ring?

« on: October 28, 2013, 10:21:31 am »

"Phillips. The items were sold on lots and often the lots contained 5-10 items in including Roman glass and various other antiquities. We have thousands of auction catalogs from Christies, Sothebys, Phillips, Wallace and Wallace etc. At one time we tried to match up each individual item but found the task impossible."

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: I need help authenticating an ancient roman ring?

« on: October 28, 2013, 09:47:10 am »

They informed me that they "purchased over 7000 items and had sea freight deliveries twice a year." I paid $200. I am sorta hoping that someone will be able to tell me if this was made with modern tools, etc by examining the photos. If it is not authentic, I will return it. The seller has gotten only positive responses, but I wonder if anyone has actually ever had one authenticated for themselves and called them out on it if the items were falsified.

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Antique Questions Forum / I need help authenticating an ancient roman ring?

« on: October 28, 2013, 06:41:19 am »

I am new to this forum, so please forgive me if I am not going about this the right way, but I have recently purchased an ancient roman ring (c 100-400 AD), and now I am questionable about its authenticity. Here is what I can tell you about:

- In a message, the seller informed me, "The items were purchased at the antiquities auctions in London about 35 years ago. The dollar was equal in value to the English pound and in one Phillips antiquity auction alone (now Bonham’s) we purchased 32% of all the lots offered. The items were described and cataloged by the antiquity specialists and their credentials are second to none. We purchased over 7000 items and had sea freight deliveries twice a year. We supply a certificate with our items. We also have sold to some advanced antiquity collectors."

- The seller says it is bronze. It is size 11 1/4, and as far as the way it feels, it has no 'give' to it whatsoever. It is quite immovable.

- I sought some help with this on a similar forum elsewhere, but they have sofar not gotten back to me, and i didnt know if anyone here could help. On that other forum, all I was told was: "Similar rings were made from Roman times until medieval times. Without finding a ring with the same design in a book (which I don't have time to do), I do not know if this particular ring is Roman or later.  Someone else may be able to help with that. A certificate of authenticity from a a seller does not have to be fake to be wrong.  A certificate is only as good as the seller's expertise. Many sellers call all these little copper rings Roman (most probably believing they are)."