Silver Saddle Ring with Black Cabochon Stone, Tibet, 19th century

Silver Saddle Ring (Tagam) with Black Cabochon Stone

This fine, old Tibetan saddle ring (tagam) comprises a hoop and bezel of silver set with copper skull motifs on either side of the bezel and a large, prominent black stone cabochon set in a gilded box setting. It is further decorated with incised cross-hatching, foliate chasing, and applied granulation work.

The applied copper skull motifs are unusual.

Such rings were worn in the hair, usually by men as hair rings to secure a single large plait which would be wrapped around their head, but today are more likely to be worn on a finger.

Such rings are known as ‘saddle’ rings because their shape looks like a Tibetan saddle.

Clarke, J., Jewellery of Tibet and the Himalayas, V&A Publications, 2004.

UK art market