An outstandingly rare mid-19th century royal Siam diamond cluster ring, made by the royal goldsmiths of the court of Bangkok.
This is an extremely fine example of the jewellery commissioned and subsequently bestowed by the Kings of Siam, principally to be worn by participants in royal and aristocratic life-cycle ceremonies in the courts of Bangkok. In the mid-19th century, King Mongkut (Rama IV) of Siam also commissioned the courtly jewellers to create a number of faithful replicas of these ceremonial jewels to be offered as gifts to diplomatic families, important visitors and to Heads of State across the world when re-establishing diplomatic relationships. One such example (which is remarkably similar to the present ring) resides in the museum of the Château de Fontainebleau (item F1518C) where it was given as a gift from King Mongkut to Napoléon-III on the important ambassadorial visit of 1861 (see photos for a side by side comparison).
Ceremonial Use:
During the 19th century, many rings were made every year by the royal jewellers for ceremonial use. Examples of these lavish cluster rings being worn for these life-cycle ceremonies can be seen on old photos and paintings of the Royal Tonsure Ceremony, also known as ‘the cutting of the top-knot’ ceremony, which marked the transition from childhood into adulthood for all of the (many!) sons and daughters of the Siam royal family.
The huge expansion in the number of royals in 19th century Siam stemmed from Kings Mongkut (Rama IV) and Chulalongkorn (Rama V) being highly polygamous. They had a joint total of 124 wives and 159 royal children, each requiring their own ceremonial regalia and princely jewels. As a result, Bangkok became home to some incredibly skilled goldsmiths in this period. The Tonsure ceremony was performed by the King, and lasted three days and three nights. All of the royal children would be dressed in the most splendid costumes and adorned with a vast amount of jewels on several parts of the body. Their costumes and jewels differed according to their title and rank. Diamonds for instance, would be bestowed to the highest ranking noble children. The royal children were allowed to keep their regalia and jewels as a present on entering adulthood to indicate their social status among society.
Over the years, these royal jewels have been dispersed across the many noble families, with currently only a few important pieces remaining in the royal collection. Today, the number of royals in Thailand is contracting as the country follows the Chinese nobility system whereby with each generation the noble rank of a family decreases by one ranking so that eventually the majority of descendants will lose their noble status completely. This loss of royal privilege, coupled with the dilution of wealth has meant that items such as this ring become available on the open market. Following the end of the absolute monarchy in Thailand in 1932, many members of the royal family relocated to Europe and as a consequence, princely Thai items can occasionally be found in the European art market.
Gift Exchange:
In Siam culture, great importance is placed on the ancestral process of gift-exchange. During the reign of King Mongkut, close relationships with some powerful countries were cultivated in order to hold the balance of power and to save Siam from being colonised. The King used gift-exchange to establish diplomatic relations with other heads of state around the world, as well as with other kings, princes and sultans closer to home. He sent troupes of ambassadors to England (1857) and France (1861) with seemingly endless amounts of trunks filled with lavish gifts in order to dazzle the heads of state with the extraordinary quality and variety of Siam craftsmanship.
These gifts consisted of faithful replicas of the Royal Regalia and objects belonging to the King himself; items and jewellery worn by him on his Tonsure ceremony and on his coronation day. Enormous time and effort was required by the Siam court to assemble these numerous gifts, as they emanated from the very same royal goldsmiths and courtly craftsman who had made the original ceremonial items.
The most famous of these ceremonies took place at the Chateau de Fontainebleau in 1861. The painting by Jean-Léon Gérôme that immortalised the event prominently features the most spectacular of these gifts. Among the 150 gifts presented to Napoléon-III by the Siam ambassadors were two diamond-set rings, both of which are on display in the Musée du Chateau de Fontainebleau (item no. F1518C and F1519C). One of these rings is a rose cut diamond cluster and bears a striking resemblance to the ring we are offering. According to Bruley (2011), this ring, presented to Napoleon-III, was a faithful replica of the ring worn by King Mongkut on his own coronation day in 1851, which now resides in the Pavilion of Royal Regalia in Thailand.
The Ring:
From whichever angle the present ring is viewed, it is a masterpiece of design and a testament to the ingenuity and craftsmanship of the Siam royal goldsmiths. The bezel head is composed of two layers, the uppermost, containing the large triangle shaped table-cut diamond, is riveted to the main body of the ring. The second layer of the cluster is set with a further eight rose cut diamonds and this section allows for small rotation, typical of Siam jewellery...
Category
Mid-19th Century Victorian Antique Southeast Asian Cluster Rings
MaterialsDiamond, 22k Gold
