Victorian Intaglio Hardstone 14 Karat Gold Lettered Unisex Signet Ring

Centering an square tablet of banded agate measuring approximately 10.4 x 10.2 mm Translucent with a frosted white top and a black base Deeply carved to depict a winged griffin, fier...

Centering a cushion-shaped carnelian tablet measuring 14.7 x 11.3 mm - translucent orangey-red Flush set in a rose gold surround Completed by flared shoulders and tapered shank Test...

Signet style band ring centers an oval black opal cabochon measuring approximately 12.0 x 10.0 mm Translucent gray in body color with strong and spectral play-of-color Bezel set in...

Centering a cushion-shaped tablet of nephrite jade measuring 16.7 x 16.7 mm Translucent dark mossy green in color with subtle mottling - bezel set Carved with an intaglio of an eag...

Centering a cartouche-shaped agate tablet carved with a heraldic crest intaglio Opaque dark grayish blue and measuring 10.0 x 12.5 mm - intaglio is dark blue Depicting a shield flan...

Centering an oval-shaped carnelian tablet carved with intaglio depicting a woman and swan Based on the Greek myth of the figure Leda and The Swan (Zeus) Translucent reddish-orange a...

This is a Victorian heraldic signet ring crafted in 9K gold. Circa 1850. It features a carved chalcedony intaglio depicting a Coat of Arms. W...

This is a powerful 14k gold signet ring circa 1900. The signet is carved in wonderful detail and complex imagery. In the center is a shield with a prancing lion amidst a background o...

Set in 14k gold, the banded agate intaglio ring is hand-carved with a unique image: a shield topped by a knight’s helmet and a plume of feathers. T...

This 14k gold Edwardian intaglio signet ring contains an esoteric image—a unique family crest with mysterious imagery. Carved into bloodstone, a striped shield sits on a diagonal, with a scroll looming above it. It is topped with a crown, a pine tree, and a tiny animal...

A superb quality signet intaglio ring. Solid 14 carat yellow gold example. Set with an oval shaped onyx to centre with intaglio. Very finely hand carved example. Three arrows and two...

A very unusual antique gold ring set with a carved brown and white hardstone cameo depicting the theatrical comic mask of Silenus, the Greek mythological old rustic god of wine-making and drunkenness. The ring was made in the late 19th century and carries French control marks for 18K gold, whilst the cameo is probably Italian and made slightly earlier, circa 1800. Silenus was a companion to the wine god Dionysus, and suitably he was a notorious consumer of wine, usually drunk and supported by satyrs or carried by a donkey. Silenus was described as the oldest, wisest and most drunken of the followers of Dionysus, and was said to possess special knowledge and the power of prophecy when intoxicated. He presides over the other satyrs and is related to musical creativity, prophetic ecstasy, drunken joy and drunken dances. Silenus was usually depicted as a jovial old man, bald yet bearded, with a pot-belly, thick lips and snub-nose. The masks worn to play him in theatre really emphasised these features, as you can see with this cameo carving Theatre was a key part of ancient Greek culture. The theatrical masks worn by the actors, known as ‘prosopon’, served various purposes. They enabled individual actors to play multiple roles (or genders) in the same performance; the exaggerated expressions helped define the character being portrayed; they helped spectators in the back rows to tell the characters apart. This particular masked as mentioned before is a comedic Silenus, please see final photo for other examples of Silenus masks in museum collections. UK size N 1/2, US size 7 4.84g 18K gold French ‘tête...