Gold Neoclassical Ring with Carnelian Intaglio

Roman Ring with Intaglio of Mars Roman, 4th century AD, intaglio 3rd century AD Gold, nicolo Weight: 15.3 gr.; Circumference: 49.32 mm.; US size 5; UK size J ½ This deceptively heavy gold ring...

Renaissance ring with Roman horse intaglio Ring: Western Europe, c. 1580-90, Roman intaglio: 1st century AD Gold, champlevé enamel, nicolo agate Weight 5.2 gr.; Circumference 57.15 mm.; US size 8; UK size Q In the Renaissance period, ancient cameos and intaglios were highly sought-after collectors’ items. Wealthy owners had them incorporated into signet rings, and in this case, an exceptional and rare ring with sophisticated enameling. The Roman intaglio reflects the spirit of Humanism during the Renaissance, when there was a revived interest in Classical literature and the arts. The horse motif was most likely the personal choice of the wearer or giver of this ring who would have been familiar with its meaning in Classical Antiquity as a symbol of wealth and power. In Ancient Greece images of horses denoted aristocratic status, were symbolic of heroism and the all-important cavalry. A grazing horse as seen here may have represented a favored racehorse. Description: Gold ring with D-section hoop widening towards the oval bezel, plain on the interior and on the exterior the shoulder is decorated in gold against black enamel with symmetrical foliate and floral motifs. The frieze-like decoration continues along the sides of the facetted bezel with dots, dashes and scrollwork, a triangular form with acanthus foliage and fine gold framing line along the base of the bezel with raised mount and fluted collet for a nicolo-agate intaglio. Carved into the bluish grey on brown surface is a grazing horse seen in profile, head bent low. On the underside of the bezel is an elaborate cross motif with scrolls in black enamel against gold. Minor loss of enamel in some areas, through age and wear. The ring is in good wearable condition. Literature: Similar elaborately enameled signet rings set with ancient intaglios or Imperial laureate heads can be found in the British Museum, London (Dalton 1912, no. 308); Tarnóczy Collection; Hanns-Ulrich Haedeke Collection. The highly embellished enameling along the hoop and bezel of this exceptional and rare ring is reminiscent of the ornamental prints...

Renaissance Ring Western Europe, likely Italy, mid-16th c. Gold and traces of black and white enamel Bezel 15 x 3 x 4 mm.; circumference 42 mm.; weight 2.7 gr.; US size 2 ¼; UK size ...

Swivel Ring with Portrait of Napoleon in a Crystal Locket France, c. 1815 Weight 1.7 gr.; bezel 12.6 x 10 mm.; circumference 58.21 mm.; US size 8 1/2; UK size Q 3/4 The bezel of this rare historic...

RING AS TOKEN OF LOVE England or America, about 1800-1820 Rose gold, pearls Weight 3 gr.; circumference: 56.45 mm.; US size 7.75; UK size P 1/2 The expression of love and friendship is universal in life as in death, and hair mementoes...

Squirt Ring West European, 1800-1900 Silver, gold, rock crystal Weight 9.4 gr.; circumference 60.38 mm.; cylinder length 41.2 mm US size 9 ¼ ; UK size S ¼ Fascinating nineteenth century party piece, incorporating an elegant and sparkling ring Description: Squirt ring made of a hollow silver cylinder with four ornamental bands and a cap with plunger. This holds the liquid, and when the plunger is pulled out and pushed back in the squirt mechanism is triggered. At the other end is a hollow ring through which the liquid flows and then squirts out of a small hole on the band next to the gemstone. The gold ring, angled to the cylinder, has a tubular hoop and a gold round-shaped cup bezel with a silver-set, facetted rock crystal gemstone. The ring is fully functionable. The cylinder lies concealed in the palm of the hand. Punched on the cylinder is a swan, the French guarantee mark for the fineness of silver on items of unknown origin (in use from 1893-1970). Along the gold hoop of the ring are four indistinct hallmarks: a helmeted head (?), two rectangular punch marks, one with lower case ‘g’ in the corner, and traces of two illegible punches. Provenance: Yves Brasseur (26 February—11 August 2005), Ghent, Belgium, a collector of rings who was a Belgian fencer of Olympic stature, having competed in this sport in the Olympics in the 1960s. Literature: The earliest account of a squirt ring dates to about 1770 with the description of a diplomatic incident at the Court of Frederick the Great. The French ambassador M. de Guines belonged to the diplomatic corps in Berlin, the capital of the Prussian Empire. His pompous behavior was widely mocked. Prince Dolgorouki, the Russian ambassador was invited to a gala dinner as a guest of honor with his newly wed bride. She was seated next to the French ambassador whom she squirted with water from a mechanism concealed in the palm of her hand, when he was admiring her jewel. He vowed he would throw a glass of water at her if she continued. The ambassador’s wife ignored his warning, and he in fact put his threat into effect. The guests at the dinner were obliged to keep a discreet silence surrounding this embarrassing occurrence. The fashion for such squirt rings appears to have continued into the nineteenth century, although few examples are known. The designs and materials vary: bronze ring with mask of Silenus in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Silenus, the god of wine-making and drunkenness, appears again on a squirt ring in form of a garnet cameo...

Exceptionally rare and fashioned in the 2nd or 3rd century CE, the carved carnelian gemstone at the center of this ring hails from the Roman Empire. Displaying a rich red color and carved with the image of two Roman deities with a child, the creation exudes the glory of late antiquity. Each taking a classical contrapposto stance, the leftmost god appears crowned with laurels and grasping a staff, while the other appears nude. At their feet, an infant stretches his arms upward toward the divine figures. The crimson carnelian, more than a millennia-old, is set into a later 14K gold ring setting...

A Georgian carnelian intaglio ring, the oval carnelian measuring 20 x 17mm, seal engraved with the head of Zeus Ammon, depicted in profile with ram’s horn, ...

An unusual gents intaglio dress ring crafted from yellow gold and set with a carved deep red carnelian. The round twisted wire shank has split flow up sho...

18k yellow gold ring. This attractive contemporary oval carnelian intaglio ring has a handsome figure of a soldier, facing to the left. The rin...

This is a spectacular carved carnelian 14 karat gold signet ring. It is part of Kirsten's Corner signature line. Starting with a beautifully carved carnelian intaglio a simple but s...

Ring in 18 karat yellow gold, eagle head hallmark. Imposing man signet ring, it is closed set of an intaglio on carnelian representing a scene of Bacc...