Victorian "Pan" Intaglio Ring
O, Pan. The Great God of the Wild; the Piper at the Gates of Dawn...
- Ancient Greek god of the wild
- Half-man, half-goat
- Son of Hermes and a daughter of Dryops; rejected by his mother for being half goat
- Adored by ALL of the Olympian gods (but particularly Dionysus)
- Considerable sexual energy
- Challenged Apollo to a musical duel (and lost)
- Known to create panic among humans
- Could be multiplied into a swarm of Pans
- The only Greek god who actually dies
Pan is the ancient Greek god of shepherds and hunters, of the meadows and forests and mountain wildernesses, of the rustic and the pastoral, and of all the wildness of nature. The son of Hermes and a daughter of Dryops*, this pastoral deity is half-human, half-goat, with curled horns and pointed ears. Pan remains immortalised to this day in our word panic - literally, 'pertaining to Pan', because was thought to make “mysterious sounds that caused contagious, groundless fear in herds and crowds, or in people in lonely spots"... fear that may, of course, lead to pandemonium. The Greek word pan means 'all' or 'every'; when Hermes presented his son to the other Olympians, the utter delight was shared by each and every one. They loved the little goat-hoofed creature.
Interest in Pan saw a resurgence among liberal scholars of the late 1700s, becoming "the symbol of the romantic imagination" according to Keats, and a representation of creation expressed through sexuality, as discussed in Richard Payne Knight's Discourse on the Worship of Priapus (1786):
"Pan is represented pouring water upon the organ of generation; that is, invigorating the active creative power by the prolific element."
A Victorian signet ring set with a glass "Tassie" seal depicting Pan in goat form stood erect, in more sense than one - creation expressed through sexuality. The glass has a deep reddish-brown hue with marbling.
Era: Victorian, circa 1870
Ring size: M 1/2 or 6.5 US. Resizeable for £55
Head: 23.2mm by 18.6mm
Stone: Glass "Tassie" Seal
Marks: None, tested as 9ct gold
Condition: Good antique condition; a couple of chips to the border of the intaglio and light pitting to the surface - see images.
Full appraisal document provided with each item
This includes a valuation for insurance purposes, item specifics, date, and origins (where applicable)
Gemstones are tested by an accredited gemmologist (Cert GA, Gemmological Association of Great Britain)
Shipping
UPS Express shipping is free of charge on international orders over £300 and it's carbon offset
Tracked and insured with signature on delivery
RM Special Delivery (UK domestic)
US Shipments
US Shipments
US Customs now charges a 10% tariff on all UK shipments as they cross the border. We will pay this customs charge on your behalf. Import duties remain 0% on antiques.
[Last updated: 28th February 2026]
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.
Buying a Gift?
Leave a note at checkout and we'll include a handwritten note to the recipient. Just tell us what you'd like to say :)
More Questions?
Get in touch... There's a live chat at the bottom right of the page.
info@lostowl.com
An inscription can be added inside the band, where space allows. Add 3-6 weeks to shipping times Add a note in the cart* with your desired size and/or inscription
*the shopping cart, not checkout