Limoges Enamel Rings Appraisal

Vintage Limoges-Style Fragonard Enamel Rings

This pair of vintage costume jewelry rings features hand-painted or decal-transfer enamel portraiture in the classical 'Limoges' style. The central ovoid plaques depict pastoral scenes of courtiers, commonly referred to as 'Fragonard' scenes after the Rococo artist Jean-Honoré Fragonard. These scenes feature figures in 18th-century French attire (courtly dress) against a lush, greensward background with soft, Impressionistic color blending. The larger ring showcases a standing couple with the male in a reddish coat, while the smaller ring displays a seated or reclining scene. The settings appear to be crafted from a silver-toned base metal, possibly silver-plated brass or pot metal, showing a significant dark grey patina consistent with oxidation over several decades. The metalwork features a distinctive twisted wire or 'rope' motif for the bands and scalloped serrated edges around the bezels that secure the ceramic or enamel medallions. The larger ring has an adjustable split-shank design, a common indicator of mid-20th-century mass production. In terms of condition, there is visible surface wear to the enamel finish with minor scratching and dulling of the gloss. The metal shows significant tarnish and some wear to the plating, particularly on the ridges of the twisted wire. These pieces likely date to the 1950s or 1960s, a period when Romantic Revival and Neo-Rococo costume jewelry was highly popular for everyday wear. The craftsmanship is indicative of commercial mid-market production rather than high-end artisan goldsmithing.