Rings of love find affection among collectors

Mayfair auctioneers Dix Noonan Webb sold five posy rings in their September jewellery sale – enough for a handful of fingers.

These are rare and not seen very often at auction, so to have five in a single sale was striking.

Popular from the 15th through to the 18th Centuries, posy rings were inscribed with short sentimental or religious inscriptions for a loved one.

They take their name from the French word poesy, meaning short rhyme and were used to communicate sentiments of friendship, loyalty and, most frequently, love.

Today they are very collectable, the rarer inscriptions and enamelled examples plus those dating from the 15th and 16th Centuries being particularly sought after.

The earliest of the lots dated from the late 16th Century and is illustrated here.

This late medieval example was a gold ring with a broad flat band delicately inscribed on the outside with a cross and the words “BOVNDE BY FATHE” (bound by faith) in serifed capitals.

The ring was discovered in Yorkshire in 2012 and was subsequently disclaimed by the Crown under the Treasure Act of 1996. It took £1,800 in the room.

Another example offered for sale was an 18th Century ring bearing the romantic inscription “My Love to thee Shall Constant be” on the inside, with the maker’s mark JG, probably for the London goldsmith John Gamon. This sold for £800.

Another 18th Century example had a gold band inscribed on its interior with “You never knew a (love in the form of a heart shape) more true”, with an indistinct maker’s mark. This took £1,200.

The same ring but with a slightly different spelling of “true”, is listed in Joan Evans’ English Posies and Posy Rings.

An 18th Century gold enamelled example with an interior bearing the posy, “Not the value but my love” and the maker’s mark IC sold for £1,400.