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Georgian Era Renaissance Revival Enamel Lovebirds Ring, Circa 1780, Rare

$31,840
£24,026.63
€27,961.10
CA$44,949.52
A$45,106.67
CHF 26,306.76
MX$548,442.22
NOK 302,290.81
SEK 310,890.66
DKK 209,023.93

About the Item

A rare and deeply romantic example of late 18th century sentimental jewelry, this exquisite gold ring dates to the 1780s and centers on a pair of finely modeled lovebirds—with their beaks touching in a gesture almost like a kiss, their bodies inclined tenderly toward one another. Each bird's breast is set with a diamond, adding a subtle brilliance to the composition and reinforcing the jewel's message of enduring love. The birds perch upon a green enameled branch, grounding the scene in a naturalistic setting that enhances its tenderness and intimacy. The reverse is beautifully enameled to depict the birds' feathers—an elevated and thoughtful detail that speaks to the quality of the workmanship and the intimate nature of the piece. The carved ring shank is accented on either side with blue enameled forget-me-nots set with diamonds, creating a harmonious continuation of the romantic theme. The symbolism is layered and deliberate: lovebirds or billing doves represent love, devotion, marriage, and loyalty; forget-me-nots signify remembrance and constancy; and diamonds in the 18th century were regarded as emblems of eternal love and fidelity. The mid-to-late 18th century was a period marked by a growing emphasis on personal sentiment and emotional expression. As society increasingly valued romantic attachment over arranged unions, engagement and marriage rings evolved into powerful symbols of devotion and partnership. This ring was quite possibly created as a betrothal or marriage jewel, intended as a meaningful declaration of commitment. The face of the 14k gold ring measures approximately 0.4 inches from north to south and presents beautifully on the hand with a refined yet meaningful presence. It is a size 7.5 and cannot be re-sized. The ring remains in very good antique condition for its age, with enamel wear visible to the heads of the billing doves, the forget-me-not flowers, and to the green enameled branch at the base of the scene—subtle signs of time consistent with more than two centuries of careful handling. Raman spectrometry analysis of the enamels in our gemological laboratory, along with SEM-EDS analysis conducted at Bucknell University, identified period-appropriate colorant formulations including copper-based green, copper-iron red, and arsenic-based white enamels consistent with 18th-century European production. The white enamel's reliance on lead arsenic as an opacifier provides a definitive starting date of approximately 1750, marking the historical shift away from reliance on 17th century tin oxide based white enamels. The green enamel contains "dirty" cobalt—identifiable by characteristic arsenic and nickel impurities from pre-industrial ore sources such as those mined in the Saxony region—and lacks chromium, which places its manufacture before the widespread adoption of chromium-based pigments in the early 1800s. Furthermore, the red enamel is a traditional "Rouge Clair" formulation colored by copper and iron; the complete absence of gold signatures across all enamels rules out the "Gold Ruby" glass typical of high-end 19th-century revival jewelry and supports the ring’s attribution to the late 18th century. A closely comparable ring is held in the British Museum (accession number 1978,1002.213), part of the renowned Hull Grundy Gift. That example—a gold finger-ring enameled in white and translucent green with touches of red, set with a ruby and featuring a pair of billing doves with an inscribed motto—is attributed to France, circa 1760–1770, underscoring the historical importance and museum-level significance of this design. A nearly identical French billing dove ring in enamel, ruby, and diamond sold at Woolley and Wallis in Salisbury in February 2023 for £20,000. Rings of this delicate construction—with their fragile enamels and small stones in antique settings—seldom survive intact over the centuries, making any well-preserved example exceptionally rare. A beautifully preserved and exceptionally rare survival from the 1780s, this ring is both sculptural and symbolic—an eloquent testament to 18th century craftsmanship and the enduring language of love expressed through gold, enamel, and diamond.
  • Ring Size:
    7.5 US, Not Resizable
  • Metal:
    14k Gold,Enamel
  • Stone:
    Diamond
  • Stone Cut:
    Rose Cut
  • Weight:
    2.46 g
  • Style:
    Georgian
  • Period:
    1780-1789
  • Date of Manufacture:
    Circa 1780
  • Condition:
    Minor losses. Enamel wear visible to the heads of the billing doves, the forget-me-not flowers, and to the green enameled branch at the base of the scene.
  • Seller Location:
    Lewisburg, PA
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: K9401stDibs: LU4295229325152

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