After the Antique, 15th century, Bust of Julius Caesar, bronze plaquette of concave form, DIVI IVLI, laureate and draped bust right flanked by a star and lituus, 41.3mm (Molinier 55; Bange 170-174; Kress 270, fig. 58; Scaglia I 17), pierced, very fine contemporary cast of high quality, brown patina. The model for this popular plaquette type is thought to be an antique carnelian intaglio in the possession of Cardinal Francesco Gonzaga. On his death in 1483 it passed to Alfonso of Aragon, Duke of Calabria but its present whereabouts is unknown. The plaquette is also known as an incuse image which would have been used to stamp into the bindings of expensive books (see Hobson, A., Plaquettes on Bookbindings, SHA 22, Washington DC, 1989, pp. 165-173 and fig. 1). Provenance: Sternberg auction XXI, 14 November 1988, lot 633; R.B.W. collection, CNG auction, 2 December 2015, lot 332.

Estimate: GBP £600 - £800