British or Italian, 18th century | Seal with Minerva, surmounted with a hardstone carving of a possibly 17th-century monkey

This fascinating little object combines a carved hardstone figure of a monkey with a beautiful citrine intaglio with Minerva. A number of jewels mounted with monkeys are recorded in the 17th century, including a chrysoberyl monkey, dating to the early 17th century, which was found in the Cheapside Hoard Jewels (Forsyth, op. cit.). Another chrysoberyl monkey cameo dating to circa 1740 was sold in these rooms on 10 July 2014, lot 129. According to Hazel Forsyth, monkeys were said to be a creature full of 'plaguy tricks' and human vices (op. cit.). It is probable that the present figure of a monkey predates the setting and may date as early as the 17th century. The intaglio with Minerva is stylistically reminiscent of another with Alexander signed by Edward Burch (1730-1814), sold in these rooms on 9 July 2015, lot 116.

RELATED LITERATURE
H. Forsyth, The Cheapside Hoard. London's Lost Jewels, London, 2013, p. 181