A Rare English High-Carat Gold Signet Ring

Epoque: Late 16th or early 17th century

Origine: England

Medium: gold

Provenance: Ex Private English collection 
Ex Private collection

Literature: A rare late 16th or early 17th-century English high-carat gold signet ring, dating to approximately 1600. The oval bezel is intricately engraved with the intertwined initials ‘S & G’ (or possibly ‘S & C’), linked by an elegant ‘true lover’s knot’, symbolising unwavering fidelity and union. Each extremity of the knotted cord terminates in a Tudor rose, a motif imbued with enduring dynastic and romantic significance. The engraved field is enclosed by a meticulously hatched border, underscoring the precision of the design and the exquisite polish of the gold surface. Rings of this type were frequently exchanged as betrothal or marriage tokens, serving as both expressions of affection and personal seals. Notable cognates include a late Tudor gold signet ring engraved with the initials ‘A & F’ connected by a knotted foliate tie (Victoria and Albert Museum, M.228-1975) and another, of comparable chronology, featuring the initials “T & W” similarly conjoined with a tasselled cord that transforms into blooming rose stems (British Museum, AF.798).