Description:

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

Description:
A bold silver ring featuring a carved rock crystal intaglio of lobed medallion form, engraved with several lines of Arabic inscription in elegant script. The clear crystal is precisely cut and polished, its surface etched with fine calligraphy surrounded by small decorative flourishes. The silver mount is wide and plain, focusing visual emphasis on the shaped stone which is bordered by a radiating, golden collar.

The harmonious design of text and form is a distinctive feature of Qajar-period craftsmanship. Light natural inclusions are visible within the stone, but the engraved surface is crisp and deeply cut.

Dimensions:
Internal Diameter: 2cm
Weight: 24g

Comparable examples:

  • A Persian ring with shaped rock crystal intaglio, Sotheby’s, Arts of the Islamic World, London, 24 October 2018, Lot 143, sold for £4,250. 

  • A 19th-century rock crystal inscribed ring, Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, London, 10 April 2013, Lot 108, sold for £3,750. 

  • A related rock crystal seal ring, al-Sabah Collection, illustrated in Islamic Rings and Talismans, Scarce, 2008.

Provenance:
Private European collection

Note:
Rock crystal was highly valued in the Islamic world for its purity and symbolic clarity, believed to carry protective and healing properties. When engraved with sacred text, such pieces were worn as amulets or talismans. This ring, with its ornamental mount and well-executed calligraphy, exemplifies devotional elegance in Qajar lapidary art.

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

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£100 £199 £10
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£1,000 £1,999 £100
£2,000 £4,999 £200
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£10,000 £19,999 £1,000
£20,000 £49,999 £2,000
£50,000 £99,999 £5,000
£100,000 £199,999 £10,000
£200,000 £499,999 £20,000
£500,000 £999,999 £50,000
£1,000,000 + £100,000