Victorian Daphne Intaglio Ring
Daphne is the personification of the laurel. A nymph from the ancient Greek pantheon, her name still means 'laurel' in Greek today. She is sometimes said to be the daughter of the River Ladon, sometimes the Thessalian River Peneus. There are two versions of Daphne's myth; both involve creepy and unrequited love.
In the first, Apollo's lust was fired by Eros, whom he angered by him deriding his archery practice. Apollo chased Daphne to the mountains where, just before he caught her, she begged her father to transform her so that she might escape. She became a laurel, the tree sacred to Apollo.
The second, Laconian version, made Daphne the daughter of Amyclas:
"She spent her time among the mountans and was a favourite of Artemis. Leucippus fell in love with her, disguised himself as a girl, and joined her companions. Daphne became fond of him, but Apollo became jealous and inspired Daphne and her companions with the wish to bathe. Leucippus hesitated to remove his clothing, but his companions forcible undressed him. On discovering his identity they attacked him, but the gods made him invisible. Apollo tried to seize Daphne but she ran off, and in answer to her prayer, Zeus turned her into a laurel" - from 'Dictionary of Classical Mythology' by Pierre Grimal (1991)
This ring, dating from the late Victorian period, is set with a neoclassical carnelian panel with intaglio that depicts Daphne holding a laurel branch. The carving likely pre-dates the ring by a few decades, having been later set into the ring. Crafted in 9 carat gold with a simple rubover setting and elegant split shoulders.
Era: Victorian, circa 1880
Ring size: S 1/2 or 9.25 US. Resizeable for £35
Head size: 17.1mm by 13.7mm
Stone: Carnelian Agate
Marks: Stamped 9CT
Condition: Great antique condition
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Condition
We offer detailed and accurate condition reports on each listing. These pieces are antique, vintage, or pre-loved, often over 100 years old so they're going to have lived a life. A healthy patina and the odd scuff/scrape are 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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An inscription can be added inside the band, where space allows. Add 2-3 weeks to shipping times
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