Stunning Men's Ring with Sapphire & Old-Cut Diamonds, c. 1895

Here Be Dragons

Stunning Men's Ring with Sapphire & Old-Cut Diamonds, c. 1895

€ 3,890.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Description

This description was automatically translated from German. If you have any questions about this piece of jewellery, we will be happy to help!

HIC SVNT DRACONES, “Here Be Dragons,” is a Latin phrase used on early world maps to denote the region beyond the known world, populated by mythical creatures. Stories and images of dragons are found in many cultures and eras. Their forms are diverse: fundamentally, a dragon is a hybrid creature composed of several real animals. In Western mythology, the dragon is a symbol of chaos and must be vanquished and slain by a hero in battle. This men’s ring, crafted from high-karat gold, features two of these mythical creatures. On the top of the wide band, we see dragons whose bodies combine the characteristics of snakes and birds. Each of the two mythical creatures wears a beautiful old-cut diamond on its cheek. With their beaks wide open, they jointly hold a large deep-blue sapphire cabochon. Dragons appear on antique pieces of jewellery in a wide variety of forms. The dragons on this ring are reminiscent of the Zilant, a mythical creature from Russian and Tatar folklore. Characteristic features include an elongated body, wings, two legs, and a bird- or dragon-like head. The name is derived from the Tatar word for “snake.” To this day, the Zilant adorns the coat of arms of the city of Kazan. The ring captivates with its rich detail and fairy-tale-like concept. We feel transported into a chivalric romance or a dream—and indeed, these were themes that repeatedly inspired designers around the turn of the century to create new visual concepts. During those years, large illustrated fairy-tale books were produced, including the celebrated works of Arthur Rackham in England. In the Nordic countries, artists painted, wove, and forged scenes from Germanic and Norse mythology, while in France, attention turned to Joan of Arc and the kings of the Middle Ages. Dragons, griffins, and chimeras adorned cufflinks as well as brooches, pins, and, as seen here, rings. The inspiration for this piece also stems from this artistic milieu. The goldsmith’s work was crafted around 1895. The design of the dragons is clearly based on medieval and early modern depictions; at the same time, we also encounter similar creatures in the architecture and arts and crafts of Symbolism, which fascinate us in a way that is both menacing and alluring.

Size & Details

Here Be Dragons

€ 3,890.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Our Promise

We want you to be 100% satisfied! For that reason, we examine, describe and photograph all of our jewellery with the utmost care.

You can rely on our years of experience in the trade and our expertise as a professional art historians for reviews of the antique jewellery. As a member of various trade organisations and the British Society of Jewellery Historians, we remain committed to the highest possible degree of accuracy. In our descriptions, we always also indicate any signs of age and defects and never hide them in our photos – this saves you from any unpleasant surprises when your package arrives.

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Here Be Dragons

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