Victorian Isis & Nephrite Jade Scarab Ring
with Wings in 18k Gold
$ 3,500.00
* * SOLD * *
A rare, Victorian-era, Egyptian revival ring, modeled in 18k yellow gold, whose sculptural shoulders feature the likeness of a woman wearing a nemes head cloth, her face flanked by a pair of bird's wings. These beautifully-carved, figural elements act as a frame for the hand-carved, nephrite jade scarab that rests between them, in a smooth, low-profile bezel. The scarab is a deep forest green color, semi-transparent, and its reverse is carved with a hieroglyphic illustration: a woman pharaoh kneeling before a tree. This ring's weighty, half-round shank is collared below the shoulders, and it tapers toward the base. The wings in this composition suggest that the subject is the goddess Isis, with her up-stretched wings, though it is also possible they were intended to recall the winged vulture headdress worn by Isis and various woman pharaohs.
We love the color contrast between the earthy green, here, and the rich, brilliant gold! We also love Isis as a symbol of personal power, as she is the goddess of magic, motherhood, death and rebirth. This ring has a time-worn inscription engraved inside the shank, in curling script— only the word "memory" is partly legible.
Materials
18k gold
Nephrite jade
Age
c. 1900
Size
US 8 1/2
This ring can be resized (down to size US 6 and up to size US 9). Resizing for this ring is complimentary.
Dimensions
Ring face measures approx 18.5 mm x 19.5 mm; ring shank measures approx 5.7 mm at the shoulder and tapers to approx 2.5 mm at the base; jade scarab measures approx 15.5 x 12.5 mm; rise is approx 6 mm.