Ring in the Shape of a Dragon

About the Art

People have worn rings and jewelry throughout human history. Often made with rare, colorful and shiny materials, rings delight the eye and often reflect the wearer’s personal sense of style. While rings are typically made with the same basic structure—the circular hoop, the top, flat-surfaced bezel and a shoulder that transitions between the two—their designs are infinite. Equally diverse are the uses of rings, from indicating social status and marking special occasions or achievements, such as weddings or graduations, to serving as a source of prestige, wealth or protection, both physical and psychological.

This is one example from a collection of 183 rings gifted by one of the DAI’s founders, Brainerd Thresher. Professionally, Thresher was a banker and financier, but his passion was for the arts. He was an amateur craftsman, designing and making jewelry, inlaid screens, lamps, radio cabinets and ivory carvings, working in the curvilinear, nature-inspired style of Art Nouveau. Thresher traveled widely, visiting Europe and Asia, collecting artworks along the way. He acquired rings from a range of sources, including from collectors and dealers stretching from Beijing and Mumbai to Paris and London. The rings in the collection span nearly 4,000 years of human creativity and come from places as different as Egypt and India, Thailand and Greece.

FEATURED IMAGE
Artist(s) unknown (Thailand), Ring in the Shape of a Dragon, 17th century, gold, enamel, gemstones, 7/8 x 1 3/16 x 1 inches (2.2 x 3 x 2.5 cm). Gift of Mr. Brainerd B. Thresher, 1942.124.82