Post Medieval Gold Ring with Gemstone

A magnificent and superb quality Victorian Gothic revival painted altar or reredos panel, as exemplified by the works and designs of Augustus Pugin, on Welsh slate depicting a large golden cross with latticed arms and squared quatrefoil terminals showing the emblems and names of the four Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John; the cross set over a circle enclosing a quatrefoil background with the main discus showing a white cross trefoil on a red expanding cross against a green background with the Christogram letters 'IHS' entwined for Jesus Christ; the design set against a dark blue field ornamented with 48 golden radiant six-pointed stars; complete with the original carved oak frame together with the carved oak projecting base plinth shelf with quatrefoil perforations and another Christogram 'IHS' within a blue oval to the central projection. 73 kg total, 134.5 cm base and 159 cm high

Fine condition.

Collection formed in the 2000s. Property of an East Anglia gentleman.

From the 4th century A.D., the vision of Ezekiel and John's Apocalypse, assigned the lion, the angel, the eagle and the ox a stable place in the iconography of the tetramorph to represent the evangelist Mark (lion) next to the calf (Luke), the angel (Matthew) and the eagle (John). They are, in Christian iconography and theology, the four winged cherubs singing the triumphal hymn, exclaiming, proclaiming, and saying: 'Holy, holy, holy, Lord Sabaoth'. The oldest representations date back to the 5th century A.D., and are found in the mosaics of the baptistry of Naples and in the apse of S. Prudenziana in Rome. The tetramorph was a favourite subject in 12th century ecclesiastic art and its use has continued to the present day.

A bronze pendant of discoid form and suspension loop to apex, openwork design comprising a stylised figure with polychrome enamelling. 5.56 grams, 35 mm



Acquired before 2000. From the collection of a European gentleman living in the UK.

A Queen Anne period gold ring composed of a slender hoop with expanding shoulders formed as the ball-joints of long bones; bezel formed as an elongated stylised skull featuring large eye-sockets set with facetted diamonds; white enamelled teeth and head detailing; accompanied by a vintage ring box. 2.82 grams, 19.54 mm overall,17.22 mm internal diameter (approximate size British J 1/2, USA 5, Europe 9.32, Japan 9)



Acquired from Berganza, Hatton Garden, London, 2016. Property of an East Sussex collector. 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.11665-197583.

Likely a ring of the memento mori genre. The V & A Museum states that during the 'Renaissance, the ring developed from the simple forms of the medieval period into a miniature work of art, combining the skills of the chaser, engraver and enameller as well as the stone cutter.'