Jewellery, Watches, Silver & Objects of Vertu

A late 15th century gold seal ring, the raised octagonal bezel engraved with an eagle rising with wings displayed and inverted, the shoulders angled and fluted in three panels to the exterior, engraved with sprigs of foliage topped with ten petal flowerheads, some leaves with white enamel inlay, the rear of the hoop decorated with diagonal bands, the interior with inscription in black letters “x honor et joie” inlaid with white enamel, the hoop of D-shaped form, dimensions: diameter 22mm, bezel width 9mm. £8,000-£10,000

This ring is from a Private Collection, thence by family descent, the family having originally lived in France.

The eagle is associated with St John the Evangelist, but is also used in heraldry in family rolls of arms.