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A superb French signet ring dating to the late 19th century, c.1870, crafted in 18K gold and set with a bold rectangular intaglio depicting the Roman god Mars. This is a rare and finely executed example of French neoclassical revival jewellery from the very start of the Third Republic period.The intaglio is cut into a thick panel of dark citrine-brown glass, measuring 18mm by 12mm, and is deeply engraved with a profile bust of Mars (the Roman god of war, equivalent to the Greek Ares). He is identified by his Attic-style helmet, adorned with a stylised dragon crest - an iconographic type well-attested in 19th-century engravings such as F.S. Meyer’s “Mars” in the Handbook of Ornament.The mount is distinctly French in style, with four parallel gold bands forming the full shank - a design typical of Parisian workshops in the 1860s–80s. The overall form is clean and architectural, allowing the sculptural quality of the intaglio to take centre stage.Measurements:
- Intaglio: 18 x 12 mm
- Ring size: UK T / US 9.75
- Weight: 9.06g
- Hallmarked and tested as 18K gold
A superb French signet ring dating to the late 19th century, c.1870, crafted in 18K gold and set with a bold rectangular intaglio depicting the Roman god Mars. This is a rare and finely executed example of French neoclassical revival jewellery from the very start of the Third Republic period.
The intaglio is cut into a thick panel of dark citrine-brown glass, measuring 18mm by 12mm, and is deeply engraved with a profile bust of Mars (the Roman god of war, equivalent to the Greek Ares). He is identified by his Attic-style helmet, adorned with a stylised dragon crest - an iconographic type well-attested in 19th-century engravings such as F.S. Meyer’s “Mars” in the Handbook of Ornament.
The mount is distinctly French in style, with four parallel gold bands forming the full shank - a design typical of Parisian workshops in the 1860s–80s. The overall form is clean and architectural, allowing the sculptural quality of the intaglio to take centre stage.
Measurements:
- Intaglio: 18 x 12 mm
- Ring size: UK T / US 9.75
- Weight: 9.06g
- Hallmarked and tested as 18K gold
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