Lost Owl Unicorn in Splendour Ring
A majestic unicorn rears up on its hind legs as the setting sun blazes behind - a Unicorn in Splendour. A signet ring by Lost Owl. We've intaglio engraved the octagonal bloodstone panel based on imagery from English heraldry, from Fairbairn's Book of Crests. Birmingham hallmarks inside the band date the ring to 1956 and warrant the gold as solid 9ct.
The first nod to unicorn mythology came from the Indus Valley Civilisation, 3000 - 1300 BCE, where imagery on seals belonging to the societal elite depicted a horse like animal with a single horn protruding from its head. The first written evidence of the creatures was provided by the Greek writer Ctesias in the 4th century BCE where he references a unicorn as a type of wild ass: “fleet of foot, having a horn a cubit and a half in length, and coloured white, red and black”. Later, Pliny the Elder wrote of a fierce animal called the ‘monokeros’, which has etymological links to ‘unicorn’, with the body of a horse and a single black horn projecting from the middle of its forehead. Obviously, in these cases we are witnessing a case of mistaken identity but these accounts were pieced together to create the myth of a single horned beast, which became known as the unicorn.
Later, in medieval Europe, the unicorn became a symbol of chivalry with the relationship between a knight and his female companion being compared to that between the unicorn and a virgin maiden, with the former becoming loving and docile in the latter’s presence. This, along with the belief that a unicorn’s horn could purify poisoned water, led to Christ himself being associated with the unicorn, with medieval artwork often depicting a unicorn as a symbol of Christ. In Celtic mythology, the unicorn was a symbol of purity and innocence, as well as masculinity and power. These qualities, as well as its associations of dominance and chivalry, made the unicorn an obvious choice as Scotland’s national animal, appearing on the Scottish royal coat of arms since the 12th century.
Part of Spells & Sigils, our collection of hand-engraved signet and posy rings.
Era: Vintage, 1956
Ring size: L 1/2 or 6 US
Head size: 13.1mm by 11.5mm
Stone: Bloodstone
Weight: 5.9 grams
Hallmarks, English, Birmingham, 9ct Gold, 1956, G&S Maker's Mark
Condition: Good vintage condition, light wear consistent with age
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Gemstones are tested by an accredited gemmologist (Cert GA, Gemmological Association of Great Britain)
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[Last updated: September 15th, 2025]
Resizing
Ring sizing is available on most rings
£55 flat fee
Resizing takes 7-14 days
Leave a note at checkout with your desired size
Note: sizing may remove some of the patina (although we take every care to reduce this where possible)
Layaway
25% deposit taken to secure the item. The remaining balance will be settled in 90 days. You can pay installments weekly, monthly, or the full balance at the end - whatever works.
Condition
We offer detailed and accurate condition reports on each listing. These pieces are antique, vintage, or pre-loved and often over 100 years old so they're going to have lived a life. A healthy patina and the odd scuff or scrape is quite normal... it's part of their charm! Everything we present has been checked over by our jeweller and should be good for wear for many years to come (unless otherwise stated) but please remember to treat them with appropriate care and consideration for their age.
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