Antique French Victorian Ring Depicting Aesops Fable

The stork is skillfully modelled and engraved in silver that has been richly and yet tastefully embellished with gold accents. See the stork’s crest, beak, claws, tail, and the outlines of the wings.

This French 18ct yellow gold and silver Victorian object d’art is a depiction of substance in many ways. With its wide gold outlined wings, crest and tail, the silver downy stork triumphs audaciously with an amphora crafted from a grand natural saltwater baroque pearl with a gold rim on top and a seed pearl in the gold bottom. Bringing the jar with its gold claws to its gold beak and looking right at you with its cabochon onyx and turquoise eyes, this piece of decorative art is claw-set on a gold shank, which follows the shape of the bird and makes it possible to wear it as a ring. Now, who should be the fox that deserves what’s coming her way in your own fable by Jean de La Fontaine?

The inspiration for this jewellery piece lays more likely in the translation of Aesop’s “The fox and the stork” by Jean de La Fontaine. In the 17th century, he was the most famous French fabulist and an example for writers throughout Europe.

We hope you will enjoy looking and learning about this piece as much as we did!

Master goldsmith: Although we couldn’t find any master mark in the stork, it is because of the level of craftsmanship that we think that this could have been made by the house Froment-Meurice.

Condition: excellent condition

Country of origin: France

Period: ca. 1850-1870

Material: 18ct yellow gold and silver.

Precious stones: One big baroque pearl used as the jar that the stork is holding, one seed pearl at the outside of the bottom of the “jar”. Two little cabochon cut stones, one onyx and one turquoise

Hallmarks: The ring is hallmarked with the French control mark for 18ct gold representing an eagle’s head that was in use in France from about 1838. We couldn’t find any hallmarks on the stork.

Dimensions: 3.72 cm (1.46 inch)

Weight: 17.30 gram (11.12 dwt)

Ring size Continental: 54 & 17 , Size US 6, Size UK: N

Resizing: Free resizing (only for extreme resizing we have to charge).