Let's discuss those curious antique rings which could be refered to as "system rings" (or "gadget rings"), meaning rings that feature some kind of system of utilitarian or recreational purpose (mechanical or optical system, folding or detachable tools, etc.)
"femme fatale" ring, german silver, 19th century, 6 shots in 2mm pinfire caliber (black powder cartridge). These are rare and usually go for 3-5k$
And that is a set of two "le petit protector" rings (also 19th century), one for the wife (2mm caliber) and one for the husband (4mm caliber). That set went for 13k$
Cylinders were available as 5, 6 or 7 shots, but "le petit protector" was also available as a single shot percussion pistol:
remember, christmas is coming...some girls prefer diamonds, tho
Last edited by cascaillou on Thu Nov 12, 2015 2:43 pm, edited 30 times in total.
Post subject: Re: "femme fatale" ring, 19th century
Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2014 10:48 pm
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Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2009 9:56 am Posts: 1284
Another type of weaponized ring is the poison ring. So called "poison rings" were actually mostly used to carry perfume, locks of hair from beloved ones, devotional relics, messages and other keepsakes, but some have indeed been used for more sinister purposes, and the earlier report of such use dates back to 322 BC with Démosthène suicide. Other antique poison rings used a stinger to administrate the poison (which was also the method prefered by KGB during the cold war)
bronze ring, Bulgaria, 14th century, designed specifically for poison. Nice times...
Other weapon rings include Ghadj'ia rings (used by georgian Khevsur warriors) and Kakute rings (used by japanese Kunoichi). These are basically knuckledusters and claws disguised into rings, how subtle...
sundial and compass, gold, 16th century.
sundial and compass, 19th century
here's another finger ring that features a slit for use as sundial (you can see hours engraved on the inside of the ring), gold, 16th century.
WWI "poilu" handycraft ring with compass. In these times of war, "Poilus" were also killing time by recycling battlefield supplies and wastes into a variety of handcrafted objects.
"Lone Ranger Atom Bomb" ring, 1947, USA. It's actually a miniature spinthariscope which was offered as a breakfast cereal prize toy. That is an optical device allowing your eyes to 'see' radioactivity when alpha particles hit a luminescent screen producing tiny flashes of light, and this one contained polonium-210 as the radioactive source (polonium-210 half-life being only 138 days, the device wouldn't work anymore nowdays)...yeah, propaganda, polonium and cereals!
Last edited by cascaillou on Fri Sep 09, 2016 11:33 am, edited 64 times in total.
Post subject: Re: "femme fatale" ring, 19th century
Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2014 4:09 am
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Joined: Thu Feb 22, 2007 10:23 am Posts: 923 Location: NYC
this tread is against all husbands, why you want to Kill us??? i highly doubt 2mm Gauge kills any thing anyways if you want to see how this ring gun works watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZX5W4yzkqI
Post subject: Re: "femme fatale" ring, 19th century
Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2014 3:47 pm
Gold Member
Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2009 9:56 am Posts: 1284
Key ring, bronze, France, Roman period, 3rd century. For lack of pockets in their togas, the ancients often wore keys to important boxes on their fingers, which also served the purpose of demonstrating their status within the family.
Victorian-style signet ring, with a secret key that slides open when the ring is removed, gold.
Last edited by cascaillou on Sun Nov 03, 2019 4:35 pm, edited 31 times in total.
a musical ring with moving automaton, gold and enamel pearl-set, attributed to Isaac Daniel Piguet, Switzerland, circa 1800. Lady playing the harp, both hands moving on either side of the strings, a dove above the harp nodding in time to the music.
Here's another:
Musical ring with automaton, gold with truquoise, created by Piguet and Capt in Geneva, 1802-1811. The glass bezel is shaped to magnify the miniature scene. Look closely to view a music session in the drawing room, complete with hanging oil lamp and the pet dog curled up asleep on the floor. A woman turns the handle of a serinette, often used to train birds to sing short human melodies. Standing before the music stand, the music master has a violin tucked under his arm, in which he raises and lowers his bow to keep time to the music that accompanies the performance.
Last edited by cascaillou on Thu Nov 12, 2015 3:16 pm, edited 6 times in total.
Post subject: Re: This is not a pipe...and this is not a ring!
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2014 3:53 pm
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Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2009 9:56 am Posts: 1284
stanhope ring, with erotic microphotograph, probably circa 1940's. Stanho-scope rings have existed since the second half of 19th century, such optical devices allow viewing of microphotographs without using a microscope.
Last edited by cascaillou on Thu Dec 25, 2014 11:36 am, edited 1 time in total.
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