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LOT 1994
Large Stuart Period Bronze Signet Glove Ring with I for James between Branches
EARLY 17TH CENTURY A.D.
1 in. (6.69 grams, 27.09 mm overall, 21.77 mm internal diameter (approximate size British X, USA 11 1/2, Europe 26.29, Japan 25)).
D-section hoop and disc bezel with 'I' (or 'H') between fronds. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom the collection of Dame Joan Evans (1893-1977), thence gifted during her lifetime to a gentleman collector friend from South East England.
LiteratureCf. Chadour, A.B., Rings. The Alice and Louis Koch Collection, volume I, Leeds, 1994, item 655.
FootnotesDame Joan Evans, DBE, FSA, FRHistS, enjoyed a long and distinguished career as an author and historian. She was appointed the president of the Society of Antiquaries in 1959, the first woman to hold this position, serving until 1964. From 1948 to 1951, Joan Evans served as President of the Royal Archaeological Institute. She received the Society’s gold medal in 1973. Joan Evans was honoured with a host of honorary degrees and fellowships, as well as fellowships of the Royal Historical Society and the Royal Society of Literature. She was a Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur, and was appointed a Dame of the British Empire in 1976. She served as a trustee of both the London and the British museums, and as a member of the advisory council of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
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AUCTIONS:
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LOT 1994
Large Stuart Period Bronze Signet Glove Ring with I for James between Branches
Sold for (Inc. bp): £59
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Tudor Period Silver Ring with 'Amuletic' Toad Stone
Western Europe, 16th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £5,720
Round-section hoop supporting a discoid bezel, claw setting with inset 'toadstone' amulet. 4.53 grams, 29.85 mm overall, 20.51 mm internal diameter (approximate size British T, USA 9 1/2, Europe 21.26, Japan 20)
Private collection, Europe. Acquired on the French art market. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.13074-248390.
William Shakespeare’s As You Like It, circa. 1599; ‘Sweet are the uses of adversity, Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, Wears a precious jewel in his head yet’. Toadstones are mythical stones that were thought to be found inside the head of a toad. They were believed to sweat, change colour or even heat up in the presence of poison. It was thought that a toadstone placed on bites from snakes, insects, spiders and shrews would extract poison from the wound. They were thought to bring good luck and ward off evil, whether in the present life or in the afterlife. The Book of Secrets from the 13th century recommends swallowing the stone to 'cleanse the bowels of filth and excrements'. The stone could then be retrieved and used again. They were often set as amulets and talismans, a practice that continued in Europe until the 18th century. Toadstones are actually the button-like fossilised teeth of Lepidotes, an extinct genus of fish common in the Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods, 200 to 100 million years ago. -
Silver-Mounted Shell Travelling Mirror
Dutch Colonial, 17th century A.D.Estimate: £350 - 450 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £175
Discoid mirror set in a silver frame and a polished shell case, secured with a silver flower-and-scroll mount and a small hook. 56.2 grams, 86 mm
Private collection, Europe. Acquired on the English art market. -
Post-Classical Rock Crystal Gemstone with Bust of the Emperor Hadrian
17th century A.D. or laterEstimate: £2,500 - 3,500 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £1,250
Ellipsoid in plan with incuse profile bust of Emperor Hadrian, bearded and wearing a laurel wreath on his brow; in an antique mount open to the underside; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 12.68 grams, 31.18 mm overall, 20.40 mm internal diameter (approximate size British R, USA 8 1/2, Europe 18 3/4, Japan 18)
Acquired on the French art market. Private collection, England. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13148-249494.