A  RARE  AND  IMPORTANT  CARVED AGATE  CAMEO  DEPICTING  HAYREDDIN BARBAROSSA, PROBABLY ITALIAN 16TH CENTURY   the carved agate depicting the bearded figure in profile, set within a later gold ring, with a leather covered, circular box, the cameo 2cm high,  Two important agate cameos dating to the 16th century depicting Barbarossa have come to auction in recent years, the first at Christie's, London, 27 April 2004, lot 63 for £233,545.453, the second at Sotheby's, London, 24 April 2012, lot 123. The Sotheby's cameo depicts the Turk in an almost identical manner to the present cameo, except that he is facing right and our example faces left. For example, the distinctive turban with twisted tie running over the top and tied in a knot at the base and trailing down his neck. The rest of the turban is white, as are his robes which highlight his dark skin and white beard and eyebrows, the individual hairs on his face each delineated. Both depictions feature the sitters' distinctive hook nose and upward tilting chin. The Christie's example, carved in agate during the 16th century, depicts Barbarossa with the same distinctive facial features but he wears an unusual rounded turban.