Rings for the finger : $b from the earliest known times to the present, with full descriptions of the origin, early making, materials, the archæology, history, for affection, for love, for engagement, for wedding, commemorative, mourning, etc.Kunz, George Frederick
History
Rings for the finger : $b from the earliest known times to the present, with full descriptions of the origin, early making, materials, the archæology, history, for affection, for love, for engagement, for wedding, commemorative, mourning, etc.
Kunz, George Frederick
Rings; Rings -- Folklore
A recent type of archer’s thumb ring in this collection, of the
Ch’ien-Lung period (1736–1795 A.D.), is of cylindrical form,
the thick solid side bevelled inward at the base so as to adjust the
ring to the hand; the convex top slopes downward from the middle. This
is of a beautiful light emerald-green jadeite, clouded here and there
with shades of greenish gray. It has diameters of 1.06 inches and 1.25
inches, and weighs about 1⅔ ounces. The specific gravity and hardness
are those of the jadeite variety of jade, a silicate of aluminum, while
nephrite is a silicate of magnesium (No. 508).
The Bishop Collection also contains two archers’ rings of the original
type, with a wide flange on the lower side. These are entirely of
carnelian, and are representative of the kind really used by archers.
The greater part of the thumb-rings, many of them called more or less
loosely “archers’ rings,” were never designed for any such special use,
but constitute a modification of the original form to suit them for
habitual wear. Indeed, in many cases the more ornate were rather used
as pretty toys to handle, as Orientals are fond of handling gems or
small jewels, than for wear. Of course the gradual disuse of archery in
military operations contributed greatly to the change of fashion.
In this collection may be seen a finger-ring (chih-huan) of white jade
(nephrite) set with jewels. Its shape resembles that of an archer’s
ring and it is decorated with floral designs, the effect enhanced
by sixty precious stones, comprising twenty-four rubies, thirty-two
emeralds and four diamonds. This ring is of Indian workmanship, those
made in China scarcely ever having any precious-stone adornment.
In the floral ornamentation a row of rubies and emeralds cut _en
cabochon_ are outlined in gold so as to represent flowers, while in
the field are four conventionalized upright sprays, each composed of
three flowers, the upper one a facetted diamond, while the lateral
pair are facetted emeralds. On the upper rim an undulating floral
scroll has stem and leaves of gold, and flowers set alternately with
rubies and emeralds.[175]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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