the treasure
Sterling silver perfume ring
the story
This was my great-grandmother’s ring. Her name was Catherine Mercadal, and we called her Mamadear. Back in the day, she wore it on her pinky with a cotton ball of perfume in the hollow section. When a man kissed her hand, he got a whiff of a beautiful fragrance. I recently had Huffords Jewelry resize it for my right ring finger, and I treasure it. I also place a cotton ball with my favorite perfume in it!
what the professionals say
This ring features a round orb setting that is hollow with a repository for a small piece of material (cotton or the like) for a woman to dab perfume onto and then place in the ring to wear. Though these aren’t produced in large numbers any longer (and certainly not in sterling silver), many collectors do like them and are willing to purchase them at antique shops for a decent price.
the value
Approximate retail value at a jewelry shop is $150 to $250.
This month’s expert | Deb Williams of Charterhouse
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