The Art of the Ring: Highlights from the Griffin Collection

The Griffin Collection is a distinguished private collection of rings dating from antiquity to modern times, chosen as highlights of this extensive collection. The rings offer a glimpse into the lives of their owners, as well as the many uses of rings, such as seals, religious belief, political loyalties, and personal interests. An unusually high proportion of the rings have distinguished later provenance, coming from celebrated collectors.

Format: Hardback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 15 February 2024
Publisher: Paul Holberton Publishing Ltd

The Griffin Collection, a renowned private collection, boasts an extensive array of rings spanning various categories, from antiquity to modern times. This catalog specifically highlights one hundred exceptional rings, chosen to provide a comprehensive historical account of the art of ring-making across centuries. These rings, as artifacts of civilization, offer a unique insight into the hopes, aspirations, tastes, and sentiments of our ancestors, surpassing any other surviving jewels. The Griffin Collection, meticulously assembled over decades, showcases not only rarity but also exceptional quality and intrinsic value. Moreover, these rings are not only visually captivating but also provide a window into the lives of their owners, as depicted by Diana Scarisbrick, one of the world's foremost jewelry historians. The collection showcases the diverse uses of rings, including seals for business, expressions of religious belief, political allegiances, and personal interests such as theatergoing, hunting, classical art, and astrology. Some rings commemorate significant historical events, while others, dating from the Middle Ages to Victorian England, mark pivotal moments in human existence, such as love, marriage, and death, with rings adorned with symbols and inscriptions. These rings often bear connections to historical figures, monarchs, popes, and artists, including renowned Romantic poet Lord Byron. Each ring reveals personal information about the individuals who wore them and the societies in which they lived, making it an invaluable source of historical and cultural understanding.

Weight: 1330g
Dimension: 233 x 234 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781915401069