Catalog: Antiques: Decorative Art (309)

Lowestoft soft-paste teabowl and saucer in the Schoolhouse pattern.

c. 1780. Saucer: 4 3/4" diameter. Cup: 3"diameter x 1 3/4" Height. Condition: excellent

Rarely seen George III commemorative brooch with George III in profile at the center and decorated with a border of blue and green Vauxhall glass. This historical brooch was thought to have been made to celebrate George III's recovery from porphyria in 1789. The individual pieces of Vauxhall glass are positioned flat against the metal, as is appropriate to the genre...

Dramatic and rare Georgian 18K gold and agate navette shaped ring revealing endless variations of the moss agate stone. Navette means "little ship", and shaped like a pointed oval. Agate is a variety of quartz that occurs naturally in nature and during the period that this ring was made, were mined in Scotland. The brown, black and tan colors swirl around the ring in a lively array. Every plane of our agate navette ring has smooth polished surraces, with the gold band as reflective as a mirror...

Marquis shaped memorialized ring of plaited hair set in 18K yellow gold with the initials LC in gold. The underside of the ring is engraved B.L.C. ob Nov 10 1789 aet 37;. The ring is a size 5 1/2 and due to its small size it was likely worn by the wife of the deceased as a memento while he traveled. The ring measures 1 1/4 at its widest. A wonderful piece honoring love.

Poesy rings were popular in England and France during the 16th through the 17th centuries as lover's gifts. The quotations were often from courtship stories and are usually inscribed on the inner surface of the ring as is the case in this one. This ring amusingly reads "A virtuous Wife Preferreth Life". We imagine that in the 17th century, a woman was indeed better off being virtuous! We think this could make a more unusual and unique wedding band than a gold band...

Late renaissance memento mori skull ring. "Memento mori" jewelry translates to "remember thou must die", a reminder to all to live life fully, as death awaits. Memento mori rings were meant to encourage the practice of reflection on one's mortality. This is a very early ring with black enamel etching along the sides and back and a perfectly shaped skull in intaglio on the front. The ring is silver gilt with black enamel carving. Circa 1620. US size 8 1/2.