Post Medieval Gold 'Godlye Love Wil Not Remove' Posy Ring

A naturalistic bronze female figure modelled standing contrapposto, nude, looking down towards her feet, one arm reaching over her head towards her neck, the other resting by her side, her weight placed on her right leg, hair tied into an elaborate bun with a ribbon, short ringlets falling down her nape and the end of the ribbon cascading over her shoulder, along the side of her right breast and down to her thigh, where she is holding the end; mounted on a custom-made display base. 754 grams, 20.5 cm high



English private collection.

With stylistic similarities to work by Giovanni Bologna; possibly Italian or Northern European.

A silver thimble with annulets to the upper body and ropework bands to the lower body, framing a 'plain' band engraved with the initials 'S.L'. 5.54 grams, 21 mm



Found Suffolk.

A gold posy ring with rectangular-section hoop in the form of a buckled belt with looped end tie and chape with double-bowed and pinned buckle, the outer face inscribed '+HOPE * IS * MI HOLDE' in Roman capitals, continuing 'TILL * HAP * SHALL * HELPE' around the interior; accompanied by a vintage ring box. 2.76 grams, 19.17 mm overall, 16.63 mm internal diameter (approximate size British M, USA 6 1/4, Europe 12.34, Japan 12)



Found whilst searching with a metal detector near Hursley, Hampshire, UK, on Sunday 26th August 2012. Acquired from Berganza, Hatton Garden, London, 2017. Property of an East Sussex collector. Disclaimed under the Treasure Act with reference no.2012 T805. Accompanied by a copy of the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme report no.HAMP-62C152. Accompanied by a copy of the Berganza invoice. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11667-197581.

The inscription is somewhat enigmatic and does not seem to have been previously recorded for a posy ring; the form of the buckle and the knopped chape are typical of examples seen, often in base metal, from the late medieval period to the 16th century A.D. The name of this genre of ring is derived from the 'poesy' or motto usually engraved around the hoop. In medieval examples the posy is mostly engraved around the outside of the hoop but later examples find it on the inner surface. Rings with amatory inscriptions have their origins in the 14th century A.D., when they served as love gifts, betrothal and wedding rings, as attested by surviving documentary evidence. Posy rings were also given to friends or used to mark significant occasions.