Antique Gold and Hair Fede Ring

Italy, 1820 ca With light blue enamel Maker's mark Finger size: 8 Weight: 1.7 gr

Fede ring Western Europe, 16th - 17th century Gold Weight 3.8 gr; Circumference 61.64 mm; US size 9 3/4; UK Size T ¼ A delightful, sculpturesque Fede ring conveying love and loyalty Plain gold hoop...

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...

Gimmel Fede RIng with Inscription "GAGE D'AMITIE" Probably England, c. 1750 Gold, ruby and diamonds Weight 6.5 gr., US size 8.25, UK size Q ½ This gold ring...

Beautiful Antique Victorian 14K Yellow Gold Mourning Hair Band Ring. This amazing mourning ring still has the hair intact and is not engraved with any initials! It is very rare to co...

This antique Raj era plaited 14kt gold band ring really is staggeringly beautiful! Whilst it has the dark aesthetic of a mourning piece these Victorian beauty's were often bought home from travels and gifted as love tokens. This is most likely a love token piece as it has an added front panel in 9kt Rose gold with the monogrammed initials DD. Elephant hair has been used in Jewellery for thousands of years, the hair used in the pieces is naturally shed by the elephants and they come to no harm with the making of these pieces, neither back then nor now as the tradition still continues in parts of the world today! It is said to bring love, strength and act as a protector from harm and sickness. The most striking thing for me about this band is the lovely intricate woven and plaited design around the centre of the band, this is then bordered top and bottom by the rich dark brown, almost black elephant hair strands...