Medieval Silver and Niello Marriage Ring

An important medieval silver and niello marriage ring.
Northern Italian, circa 1480.

The ring engraved and Inlaid with niello depicts the union of marriage between a young couple. The profile of the man and woman are shown in precise detail shanking hands to signify their matrimony.

The band of the ring engraved with the names in Latin “Iohan **menego” (possibly Dimenego?) the ring has been sized in the past removing two letters from the second name.

Despite 15th century niello rings being extremely rare, the above example appears to be the only recorded ring of substantial weight and size and the only ring to depict the marriage of two people in profile.

Similar works are found in The Victoria and Albert museum London, The Metropolitan Museum New York and Alice and Louis Koch Collection housed in Zurich Switzerland .

Provenance:
Collection of Le baron Émile Vitta (1866 - 1954) by repute.
Private French collection 2009 - 2023.

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