A weightyEdwardian era signet ring, modeled in 14k yellow gold whose shoulders feature a highly-detailed, high-relief carving of a lounging maiden and a dragon. The nude maiden lays atop the dragon's undulous body, resting herfolded arms on its head— swirling textures surround them, likeclouds, smoke, or waves, populating the ring's shoulders and gallery. The ring's oval face is polished smooth and engraved with a stylized monogram that reads HAD. The lettering is especially handsome, with vertical and horizontal hashesfilling out the inner fields of the block-style elements. We love this old darling, and its symbolic potential! Itispossible to see the woman as Andromeda and the dragon as her sea monster, and itis possible to read the elements here as a metaphor for opium smoking (chasingthe dragon)! This might also be the perfect signature piece for someone born in the year of the dragon. Marked 14k for purity.

Condition is excellent with some rubbing— the details of the carving are largely intact. Micro scratches on the ring face are exaggeratedin the second photo— they are not at all visible to the unaided eye.

Materials

14k

Age

c. 1910

Size

US 7 1/2

This ring can be resized (up to US 9 1/2, and down to US 6). Resizing for this ring is complimentary.

Dimensions

Ring face measures approx17.6 mm; ring measures approx 9.5 mm at the shoulder and tapers to approx 4 mm at the base.