Description
NOW RESERVED – thank you!! *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
A unique and important c1908 Arts and Crafts ring by the wonderful Kate Eadie, of Birmingham’s Vittoria Street School. Kate was part of the Birmingham School of artists, designers and craftsmen and women and she was the muse and wife of Sidney Meteyard, the great Pre-Raphaelite painter in the same group. She often appeared in his paintings and was well-accepted to be his muse.She was a staggeringly talented jewellery designer and maker, who received accolades even during her time at school, for the quality and detailing of her work. She was a contemporary of Bernard Instone and also of George Hunt at the school. Every piece she designed and made herself so this is a completely unique ring. The demand and interest in her pieces has really sky-rocketed over the last 18 months or so, meaning that the very rare pieces that do turn up, are usually quickly purchased and taken off the market again.
This beautiful ring is special in so many ways- firstly, it shows the enamelled leaves work she used on a number of pieces, so you could say it is synonymous with some of her more celebrated pieces of jewellery. Here it is shown with the use of gold on the organic stems and leaves work and then vivid green enamelling is dotted around organically on the leaves on both sides of the ring. There are two tiny acorns next to the leaves, also picked out in gold. Her tiny rope work detailing runs from little circular detailing on each shoulder of the ring to arc at the top and bottom of the ring, where three tiny silver balls have been placed.
The large and fabulous old-cut square amethyst is of the most plum colour and the cut is top quality. What is also rather unusual for such a flat-cut stone, the condition is superb. This ring has clearly been been carefully looked after. Even the silver gilt and enamelling is fresh and crisp. In fact the only thing to mention is that the typical Arts and Crafts double ring band is not round but rather misshapen. It wears beautifully and is super comfortable. When you pop this ring on your finger it seems to fill the width of your finger in a satisfying way and that is lovely. Purple and green are always a winning combination for me, but with that touch of gold too….lovely! Those lovely little typical Kate Eadie claws on the stone add to the overall aesthetic too.
I saw an internet post of an Eadie necklace in the same design, so if you know the lucky owner you may wish to nudge them to pounce on this ring. It won’t hang around long. The necklace was described as a Suffragette piece.
The ring measures as approx a UK M (approx US size 6). In pleasing condition- I have polished lightly but there is still quite a lot of patina you may wish to polish from the more difficult to reach areas of the ring.
A beautiful thing indeed which will be sent by International Tracked and Signed. Box is for display purposes only. Thank you!
