Victorian Snake Gold Ring with Diamond & Rubies, Birmingham 1897

Wrapped Around the Finger

Victorian Snake Gold Ring with Diamond & Rubies, Birmingham 1897

€ 1,390.00 ^*

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!

This ring in warm, shiny gold is designed in the shape of a writhing snake. The head of the animal bears a beautiful, individually cut old-cut diamond, while the eyes of the snake are formed from bright red rubies. The ring motif of the snake is an ancient symbol of friendship and solidarity. This pictorial idea was already widespread in ancient Egypt; in Germany it experienced a heyday during the Biedermeier period and later flourished again in Art Nouveau. A famous historical example of this symbolism is Queen Victoria's engagement ring: in 1839, she received a snake ring with an emerald, her birthstone, from Prince Albert as a sign of eternal love and loyalty. Our specimen also originates from England and was presented to the Birmingham Assay Office in 1897. This is evidenced by the British stamp sequence in the ring band, which notes the exact year as well as further information. This tells us that the ring was manufactured by Nathan Brothers, whose workshop was located in Vyse Street in Birmingham. We discovered the precious creeper in London.

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Symbolism was a particular trend in art at the turn of the century. Formally closely related to Art Nouveau, this style was mainly influenced by Belgian artists such as Fernand Khnopff and Félicien Rops. However, artists from France, such as Gustave Moreau and Odilon Redon, and from Germany, such as Max Klinger, also created works that can be classified as Symbolist. What the paintings, prints, drawings and decorative designs of this era have in common is that their motifs often appear strange or even repulsive at first glance. Enigmatic and unusual subjects were chosen with preference: Snakes, beetles, skulls or impassive looking faces populate the works to encourage viewers to reflect on life, religion, metaphysics and the nature of nature - true to the guiding principle of the so-called Symbolist Manifesto of 1886: "The essential quality of Symbolist art is never to fix an idea conceptually or to express it directly."

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Size & Details

Wrapped Around the Finger

€ 1,390.00 ^*

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.

Should you for some reason not be satisfied, please don’t hesitate to contact us so that we can find a solution together. In any case, you can return any article within one month and we will refund the full purchase price.

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Wrapped Around the Finger

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