Post Medieval Posy Ring 'Let this present my good intent', circa 17th Century

Post Medieval posy ring 'Live in love and love in god *'. A smoothly conforming posy ring, engraved to the interior 'Live in love and love in god *' approximately 5.9mm in width. Tes...

Post Medieval Engraved Posy Ring, 'For Good Love'. A yellow gold flat band, the exterior engraved around the full circumference with a stylised floral and foliate design and italic i...

Post Medieval signet ring. Composed of an oval plaque featuring a finely engraved image of a thistle with stalk and leaves, the initials 'LI' in engraved...

Post Medieval gold posy ring '+ TOVT IOVRS LOIALL' ('ever faithful'). A smooth D-shape band engraved to the interior in seriffed capitals '+ TOVT IOVRS ...

Stuart gold posy ring 'Vertue passeth riches'. A smoothly conforming shallow D-shape band, engraved to the interior in florid italic script '* Vertue passeth riches x', approximately...

Post Medieval gold fleur-de-lis signet ring. A heavy yellow gold signet ring, the central circular plaque engraved with a prominent fleur-de-lis motif and framed by incised beaded ed...

A gold ring, with inscription on the inside of the band, in 22 karat yellow gold. This gorgeous ring is a posy (or poesy) ring, deriving its name from the French ‘poésie’, meaning...

Late 17th century gold posy ring, engraved to the interior with the inscription 'Alle my trust' with engraved decoration to outer shank, size 7 Weigh...

Fede Ring with Heart England, 17th century Gold, enamel Weight 1.88 gr.; circumference 44.77mm.; US size 3,1/4; UK size F 3/4 Elaborately decorated posy ring, with messages of love and affection. Gold band, flat on the interior, chased and engraved on the exterior with alternating hearts and rosette motifs. The centerpiece shows two cuffed right hands clasped together holding a heart. Inscribed inside the band in italic script: ‘For love not valer’. Traces of enamel have survived. The ring shows signs of wear through age and is in good wearable condition. The maker’s mark in rectangular punch inside the hoop has the initials ‘SW’, slightly indistinct due to the punch within the curvature of the hoop. Literature: Messages of romantic love on jewelry, and mottoes or inscriptions on plain gold bands go back to the Middle Ages. Beginning in the thirteenth century, ring brooches and rings were given as love tokens and the language of love was expressed in words and amatory motifs. Each element of this ring expresses love and affection, as well as the union of marriage. The clasped hands or ‘mani in fede’ (Italian term for hands in faith), is a motif derived from the Roman ritual of the joining of the right hands during the betrothal ceremony known as dextrarum iunctio. The right hand was considered to be sacred to Fides, the goddess of trust and good faith. The clasped hands as a symbol of love and marriage has continued in both the ceremony and rings through the centuries, even today. The alternating hearts and rosettes underline the love message concealed inside the hoop ‘For love not valer’, only to be known by the giver and recipient. The posy declares that the bond of love is more important than wealth. This fede ring is also a highly elaborate form of posy ring, which are usually simple gold bands with inscription...

Posy Ring, “No riches to content” England, 18th century Gold Weight 2.8 gr.; circumference 60.98; US size 9.5, UK size S ¾ Gold band with D-section, plain on the exterior and on the interior are probably the initials of the giver “DMI” in capital letters and dotted lines (or a cryptic message in abbreviation), and the engraved inscription in italics “No riches to content.” The ring is in good wearable condition. The maker’s mark in a crowned rectangular punch has the initials “DC” in capital letters may tentatively be identified with the London based goldsmiths Daniel Charter (registered in 1740), see: Arthur G...

POSY RING “I HAVE OBTAINED WHOME GOD ORDAIND” England, 17th century Gold Circumference 58 mm.; weight 7.9 gr.; US size 8/8 ½ ; UK size Q ½ The plain hoop, flat on the interior and r...

Posy Ring “A knote knit in love” England, late 17th century Gold Weight 5 gr; Circumference 57.65 mm; US size 8 1/4; UK size Q 1/2 A wide gold band with D-section and inside the eng...