Description:

 A CALLIGRAPHIC INSCRIBED AGATE RING ON SILVER, 19TH CENTURY, PERSIA
Qajar Iran, 19th century

Description:
This ring features a finely inscribed square-shaped agate set into a high-quality silver mount. The reddish-brown agate is deeply carved with a nastaʿlīq script, composed in vertical alignment with scattered floral rosettes enhancing the negative space between letters. The inscription is sharp and evenly executed, reflecting the stone-cutter’s skill.

The ring’s band is highly textured with a repeated diamond-grid pattern and finished with milled borders around the bezel. The broad platform and architectural depth of the ring suggest a deliberate effort to elevate the inscription and enhance its visibility.

Dimensions:
Internal Diameter: 2.1cm
Weight: 16g

Comparable examples:

  • A square Persian agate ring with calligraphic inscription, Christie’s, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, London, 28 October 2021, Lot 112, sold for £4,000. 

  • A similar Qajar ring with finely carved nastaʿlīq, Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, London, 23 April 2013, Lot 131, sold for £3,750. 

  • A related silver ring with floral-calligraphic agate panel, published in The al-Sabah Collection: Arts of the Islamic World, 2010.

Provenance:
Private UK collection

Note:
Square and rectangular gemstone rings were a distinctive format within Qajar material culture, often reflecting a symbolic orientation toward Qur’anic and poetic texts. The careful balance of script and floral ornament in this piece speaks to the devotional and artistic sensibilities of 19th-century Persian craftsmen.

 

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May 6, 2025 1:00 PM BST
London, United Kingdom

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£10,000 £19,999 £1,000
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