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Description: | A gold finger ring with turquoise / aquamarine stone and decayed niello decoration of early modern date (c. 1750-1850). The hoop of the finger ring is sub-circular (slightly oval) in plan and D shaped in cross section. It is regular in both width and thickness; at the shoulder of the ring both sides flare to form a much thickened bezel with a hollowed centre which holds a small oval blue ?? turquoise or aquamarine stone. The stone is held by four clasps / grips and the edges of the outer shoulder are decorated with floral scrolls.
The hoop of the ring in plan measures 18.6mm length, 21.4mm width; it is minimum of 2.3mm and maximum of 6.9mm high and is a minimum of 2.3mm and maximum 4.7mm thick. The internal diameter of the ring is 15.6mm. The ring weighs 2.26 grams.
The ring is highly decorated with a number of differing devices: all the designs are limited to the shoulders of the ring and bezel. The shoulder on both sides are decorated with an intricately cut floral scrollwork which mirrors the design on each face. These scrolls are deeply cuts and would originally have been filled with a black niello. The centre / bezel of the ring is raised and the outer edges of this are also decorated with similar scrollwork. The centre of the ring is hollow; from either edge small tapering claws extend and grip the central stone which is a milky aquamarine colour. The stone itself is polished and oval in shape with tapering edges. It has a maximum diameter of 3.3mm. There is no decoration on the inner surface or the back of the hoop.
The ring is a mid yellow gold colour and is well preserved with limited areas of scratching from abrasion in the soil. The inner surface is much polished, probably with wear, and although there are a couple of marks, probably makers marks in rectangular cartouches, detail cannot be identified.
Images of the ring has been shown to Judy Rudoe of the British Museum who has dated the ring to the 19th century because of the style of decoration and also the type of stone and its fitting. Dr Rudoe has suggested a parallel in style from the British Museums collections of a gold finger-ring with a portrait miniature of William IV. She comments that the style and shape of the ring is absolutely 19th c, and while it has some similarity to a common 16th century type with quatrefoil setting there are a number of differences, (viz: the openwork bezel with raised claws and quatrefoil within an expanding hoop). The engraved areas would once have contained enamel, probably black. | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Creator: | Reavill, Peter - Portable Antiquities Scheme | Identifier: | http://www.findsdatabase.org.uk/hms/pas_... | Language: | en-GB | Go to resource |
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