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Diamond Stanhope Ring in Aluminum
About the Item
A rare aluminum and diamind stanhope ring.
A "Stanhope lens" is a tiny single-lens microscope invented in the late 18th century by Eton-educated Charles Stanhope, the 3rd Earl Stanhope. The unique construction of the lens requires that the object to be magnified be near or in direct contact with the lens. Photography, which had been invented several decades prior to the Stanhope lens, was ever-evolving, and something called "microphotographs" became a thing in the mid-1800s. These tiny photographs could not be seen without a microscope. The Victorians, dressed as they were in multiple layers of social decorum, etiquette, and clothing, loved microphotographs because they were cunning, and the subject matter could be naughty —filthy naughty, even— yet remain invisible to anyone without a microscope. The Stanhope lens came along at just the right time and was eagerly adopted; incorporated into everything from crucifixes to sewing scissors. And, of course, set into rings.
Stanhope rings are frequently made from base metal and feature a Stanhope lens which has a "naughty" photograph attached to it. Peering through the hole in the ring enlarges the image.
This Stanhope ring is made from Aluminum and the lens does not have a naughty picture or any picture at all attached to it. In addition, the ring is set with a faceted, heavily-included reddish-brownish diamond. I've seen many Stanhope rings; never one set with a diamond.
So, about aluminum. It is plentiful, the most abundant metal found within earth's crust. But it's almost always molecularly bonded with something else. Naked aluminum in its purest form is extremely rare. It was discovered in 1825 when it became the most exotic and expensive precious metal on earth, far more valuable than gold. It remained highly valuable until the process of processing aluminum-rich materials became possible.
I believe this ring dates to the early Art Nouveau period. Still, it's also possible it pre-dates the Art Nouveau period in which case it could have been created when Aluminum was considered precious and not something you would wrap around a sandwich. It's been a winding and not entirely successful journey to date this particular ring. Stanhope rings in general are rare. Several I've seen look very much like this one. But as I mentioned, none I have ever encountered are capped with a diamond. Both shoulders of the ring are occupied by a human figure, arms stretched up overhead to support the diamond. The soft metal has melted the definition of these figures.
The ring is currently a size 8 ¼ and could be resized.
- Ring Size:8.25 US, Resizable
- Metal:
- Stone:
- Stone Cut:
- Weight:7.03 g
- Style:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:Circa 1890-1910
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. The lens has scratches, the engraved shoulders have lost definition.
- Seller Location:Southbury, CT
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU158918456432
Resizing is available.
About the Seller
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