Skip to main content
Video Loading
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 7

16th Century Renaissance Limoges Enamel Gilt Bronze Ring c. 1550

$35,000
£26,493.51
€30,388.16
CA$49,196.39
A$54,140.12
CHF 28,390.43
MX$657,040.65
NOK 354,875.85
SEK 335,969.13
DKK 226,862.79

About the Item

France, circa 1550 This one of a kind, museum rarity, Renaissance gilt bronze ring features a Limoges enameled copper plaque superbly painted in shades of grey with Christ as the Man of Sorrows. The enamel plaque measures 23 x 18 mm (15/16 x 11/16 in.) The bezel measures 33 x 28 mm (1 5/16 x 1 1/8 in.) Weight is 32.63 grams. Approximate ring size is 11.5 – 12 It is possible that this ring is the only Limoges enamel 16th century ring in existence. The depiction of Christ as the Man of Sorrows with open, half closed or closed eyes and the crown of thorns goes back to medieval Byzantine and Italian icons. The theme became especially popular during the Renaissance in the late 1400s, throughout 1500s and during the 1600s. Limoges in France was an important center of enamel production using champlevé technique in the 12th-14th centuries. In the late 15th century the new enameling technique emerged in Limoges. Grisaille (from ‘grey’ in French) is the technique of painting in shades of grey in imitation of sculpture on a black or dark blue background. Throughout 1500s and until the decline of the industry around 1630, several dynastic workshops of Limoges produced various enamel objects painted ‘en grisaille’. Limoges enamel pieces like plaques painted with religious scenes, various vessels (plates, tazzas, candlesticks etc.) could be found in all major museums around the world. Jewelry is the rarest category of Limoges enamel objects and very few pieces have survived.
  • Metal:
    Bronze,Copper,Enamel
  • Style:
    Renaissance
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
    16th Century
  • Date of Manufacture:
    circa 1550
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses.
  • Seller Location:
    Chicago, IL
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU31523200642

More From This Seller

View All
Ancient Roman Cameo High Karat Gold Ring
Located in Chicago, IL
Roman Empire, 2nd – 3rd century A.D. This massive solid gold ring with broad shoulders is of a very fine workmanship. The ring is crafted in high karat gold (about 24K). It is centered with a conical banded three layer agate superbly carved with a cameo of a goddess (likely Minerva, the goddess of wisdom). Her hair is elaborately styled and adorned with a double stephane (tiara). For a closely related roman agate...
Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Classical Roman Dome Rings

Materials

Gold

Renaissance Revival Unisex Gold Ring with Antique Sardonyx Cameo
Located in Chicago, IL
Circa 1880 This ornate 19th century Renaissance Revival 14K gold unisex ring features an intricately carved sardonyx cameo of a classical Greco...
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Victorian More Rings

Early Byzantine Gold Ring with Christ c. 6th Century AD
Located in Chicago, IL
Byzantine (the Eastern Roman Empire) circa 500 – 600 AD. This highly important, museum rarity early Christian gold (approximately 22.85 Kt) ring is engraved with the bust of Christ holding a Gospel Book. His nimb is decorated with a cross. Christ is flanked by two crosses, one is slightly higher than the other. There is a gold ring similar in shape and composition of the image with the Virgin and Christ Child in the center flanked by two crosses (the left cross is also engraved slightly higher than the cross on the right side): a ring is in the Byzantine collection at Dumbarton Oaks, Washington D.C., That ring is stated to be a part of the late 6th century jewelry treasury. See Catalog of The Byzantine and Early Mediaeval Antiquities in The Dumbarton Oaks Collection, Volume 2, page 138, O, and plate XCVIII. It is possible that this ring and the ring at Dumbarton Oaks were produced at the same workshop at the same time period. The round gold plaque with Christ has a diameter of 12 mm (almost 1/2 in.) Weight is 6.62 grams. Approximate ring size 10 (21 mm) resizable Condition: solid gold ring, all original, itact and wearable. Metal analysis: 95.23% gold, 4.77% silver.  The gold purity of this ring is identical to the level of purity of the Byzantine gold coin...
Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Byzantine Signet Rings

Materials

Gold

Ancient Hellenistic Gold Ring with Medusa Motif c. 300 BC
Located in Chicago, IL
Circa 300 BC This impressive high karat gold ring (approximately 22.5 Kt) dates to the Hellenistic period and features a stirrup-shaped design. At its center is an embossed gold dis...
Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Hellenistic Engagement Rings

Materials

Gold, Silver

Medieval Gold Ring with Garnet and Mythical Creatures c. 1200 – 1300 AD
Located in Chicago, IL
Possibly Northern Italy, circa 13th century AD This exceptional high-karat gold ring (approximately 20.95 kt) is a striking example of Veneto-Byzantine medieval jewelry, distinguish...
Category

Antique 15th Century and Earlier Medieval Dome Rings

Materials

Garnet, Gold

Napoleonic Era Antique Intaglio Gold Signet Ring
Located in Chicago, IL
This late 1790s - early 1800s carnelian intaglio features a neo-classical profile of Queen Luise of Prussia (1776-1810), who made neckerchiefs popular. Luise is wearing a neckerchief, a pearl tiara...
Category

Antique Early 19th Century Neoclassical Signet Rings

Materials

Carnelian, Gold

Napoleonic Era Antique Intaglio Gold Signet Ring
$3,800 Sale Price
60% Off
Free Shipping

You May Also Like

Rare Baroque 17th Century Gold & Rock Crystal Devotional Reliquary Ring
Located in Firenze, IT
Period: circa 1690
 Ring size: 9.5 
Weight: 1.69gr L’anello, databile all’ultimo decennio del XVII secolo, si compone di un cristallo di rocca taglio cabochon il quale, sollevandosi...
Category

Antique 17th Century Italian Baroque Fashion Rings

Materials

Crystal, Rock Crystal, Gold, Yellow Gold

Renaissance Revival Gold, Silver, Enamel & Tourmaline Satyr Head Ring
Located in Braintree, GB
A rare 19th century Renaissance Revival ring crafted in gold and silver, featuring a green tourmaline, intricate enamel work, and sculptural satyr heads. A striking collector’s piece...
Category

Antique Late 19th Century European Renaissance Revival Fashion Rings

Materials

Gold, Silver, Enamel

Antique 1830's 18 Karat Gold Ring Enamel Paste
Located in Munich, Bavaria
This ring has been handcrafted in the 1830's. It is set with green and red paste stones and decorated with black enamwl.
Category

Antique 1830s George III More Rings

Materials

Gold, 18k Gold, Enamel

9K Gold Early Victorian English Enamel Portrait Ring, circa 1850's
Located in Venice, CA
A lovely antique 9 karat gold English ring featuring an enamel miniature portrait painting of a young girl. The portrait in profile is painted on a silver medallion, which has some h...
Category

Antique 1850s Unknown Early Victorian Fashion Rings

Materials

9k Gold, Enamel, Yellow Gold

22K Yellow Gold Greek Ancient Bezel Coin Ring, Tapered, 9.8 grams, 6.75 Size
Located in San Diego, CA
This unique and beautiful ring features a 22kt yellow gold bezel set with an ancient Greek coin. The top bezel has a distinctive beaded design and measures 19mm in width, while the s...
Category

1990s Greek Classical Greek Signet Rings

Materials

Yellow Gold, 22k Gold

Italian Silver Gilt Signet Men's Ring 1700's
Located in Firenze, IT
Period: Late 18th century Provenance: Italy Ring size: 9  Weight: 19.7 gr The 18th century signet ring is made of gilded silver, the stem is adorned with decorations and has signs t...
Category

Antique Early 1700s Italian Baroque Signet Rings

Materials

Silver, Vermeil