Rare Art Nouveau Comedy & Tragedy Ring

A scarce and beautifully executed French Art Nouveau figural ring, dating from around 1900. It bears the French 'owl' hallmark, confirming its Parisian origin and gold purity of 18K gold. This theatrical piece draws on the rich iconography of ancient Greek theatre.

The shoulders are sculpted with remarkable detail to depict the classic comedy and tragedy masks, known as prosopon in ancient Greece. In Greek theatre, these masks embodied the extremes of joy and sorrow, worn to convey emotion across the amphitheatre. Here, they reflect the Art Nouveau movement’s fascination with the expressive, the mythological, and the deeply human.

Set at the centre is a rich natural ruby cabochon weighing approximately 1.15 carats, glowing with deep pinkish-red hues. The cabochon is rubover-set in a bold bezel, flanked by ornate theatrical ornamentation, including twisted floral details that depict a laurel wreath, since the most famous actors back then were presented with laurel wreaths, instead of winning statuette trophies like they might today. 

This ring was most likely created for a French actress of the Belle Époque, contemporary with Sarah Bernhardt.

The ring bears the French owl hallmark for 18K gold, and the inner band is lightly engraved with the numbers ‘12.4.3,’ most likely referencing the date 12th April 1903.

UK ring size R½ (US size 9).

It weighs a substantial 14.69 grams and measures 4mm wide at the back of the band.

Condition: Very good. The ruby shows a tiny surface chip under magnification, commensurate with age, and hardly visible when worn.

A dramatic and rare survivor of the Belle Époque era, steeped in theatrical symbolism and fin-de-siècle artistry.