A very rare German neoclassical "Ringstein Kabinett" with a gold ring and 40 interchangeable hard stone cabochons within a book shaped leather case with gold embossed inscription "Amusement Lithologique" and a handwritten catalogue in German.
Smooth signet ring with hinged interchangeable oval bezel and chased laurel surround. Accompanied by 40 oval cabochons made from various kinds of polished agate (ca. 25.7 x 15.3 mm), numbered on the reverse. Presented in two velvet lined trays with turqouise paper covers and a central cut-out in the centre for the ring. Includes a corresponding booklet containing a handwritten catalogue of the minerals in German. The original case in the form of a book with a gilt embossed spine inscribed "AMUSEMENT LITHOLOGIQUE" and removable cardboard slipcase. Not hallmarked. The case with minor signs of age and wear. Ring: Ring size 55. Weight (without stone) 3.95 g. Case 18.5 x 12.5 x 4.5 cm.
Attributed to Johann Christian Neuber, Dresden, c. 1790.
The minerals are described as follows:
"1. Amazonite stone from Siberia (Siberia), 2. Hairstone from Chemnitz, 3. Rose quartz from the Hohwald, 4. Oriental carnelian, 5. Agate from Chemnitz, 6. Bismuth from Freiberg, 7. Jasper from Italy, 8. Agate found near Lipse, 9. Chert, 10. Red pebble, 11. Obal (opal) carnelian, 12. Jasper from Siberia (Siberia), 13. Agate from Liebenwerda, 14. Banded calcedony from Iceland, 15. Agate from Chemnitz, 16. Banded agate from Maxen, 17. Granite with crystal, 18. Agate with quartz, 19. Tiger jasper, 20. Weiser agate, 21. Petrified wood from Plauen, 22. Ammedist (amethyst) from Borstenstein, 23. Labis lazuli (lapis lazuli), 24. Criesopraß (chrysoprase) from Silesia, 25. White and brown jasper, 26. Porfir (porphyry) 27. Agate from the Palatinate, 28. Petrified wood from the Plauschen Grund, 29. Green jasper found near Wittgenau, 30. Rubble agate found near Maxen, 31. Petrified wood, 32. Agate with quartz found near Freiberg, 33. Petrified wood from the Coburg'schen, 34. Avangturine (aventurine) from Siberia, 35. Chert, 36. Bismuth, 37. Agate from Anneberg 38. Jasper, 39. Brown jasper, 40. Amedist (amethyst) mother".
These rare ring stone and gemstone cabinets, inspired by the tradition of princely cabinets of curiosities and objets d'art, are an expression of the late German Enlightenment at the end of the 18th century. With the blossoming of the natural sciences, mineralogy also became a popular field of collecting among scholars and amateurs of the emerging educated bourgeoisie. As the title "Amusement Lithologique" reveals, these pocket-sized collections of rings and gemstones served not only the purely scientific interest of the collector, but also personal edification. The coloured stones collected from all over the world could be worn as fashionable accessories to demonstrate the education and sophistication of the wearer.
Literature
Cf. Kugel (ed.), Gold, Jasper and Carnelian, Johann Christian Neuber at the Saxonian Court, London 2012, p. 37 - 98, p. 381 ff. Kugel presents a total of 21 thus far identified and researched gemstone / ring stone cabinets localised to Dresden and dated to between 1790 and 1801. Five of these are similarly shaped like books, also bearing the title "Amusement Lithologique" (RK 7-11), and are attributed to the workshop of the Dresden based maker Johann Christian Neuber. Only one of these examples, with 41 rectangular cabochons and a French catalogue, has retained the original ring (RK 8, Kunsthandel Laue, Munich). Based on stylistic characteristics, a gemstone cabinet with 63 cabochons in the Vienna collection of Simone and Peter Huber (RK9) and another gemstone cabinet with 63 cabochons from the estate of Baroness Anna von Maltzahn, now in a German private collection (RK 10), have been attributed to the same workshop. Both pieces have a similar catalogue written in German.