Court Ring Stone Cabinet

“Covetable. "Its little gold-tooled morocco leather case identifies this ring stone cabinet as a precious ‘lithoteque’ in a format suggesting personal use. Its hybrid character as a scientific collection, on the one hand, and as a fashion accessory intended for use in a flirtatious context on the other is confirmed by the catalogue included with the collection and the fire-gilt silver rings with which the cabochon-cut stones, all fifty of them, can be tried out on the recipient‘s finger. Remarkably, the case along with the complete set of cabochon-cut gemstones, two rings, the original bone implement for removing stones from the box and the catalogue included with them are all intact. This last was drawn up by the gem cutter who was responsible for this artwork: Heinrich Gottlob Lang (1739–1809), who was active in Augsburg in the third quarter of the eighteenth century. Only a few ring stone cabinets of his are extant in public collections and in private hands.Two rings of fire-gilt silver, 50 carved and polished gemstones, leather case, handwritten booklet."”