DATE: Georgian Regency Period, c.1815

Gorgeous Georgian Regency Period flower basket seal fob set with an intaglio carved amethyst base depicting a butterfly (to represent the soul) along with the letters 'aei'. It's beautifully crafted in two-tone gold featuring applied floral and foliate motifs, and studded with turquoise cabochons. 

The AEI sentiment was popular throughout the Victorian period as a representation of eternal love conquering even death, the letters stand for: Amity, Eternity, Infinity. This is my favoured interpretation, however some suggest the AEI references the Greek word "aei", meaning for now and forever. They essentially amount to the same thing.

In Victorian symbolic tradition, the butterfly was an emblem of the soul. Aside from the obvious visual appeal, the metamorphosis of a butterfly was said to represent the different phases of the human life - the final stage, when the butterfly emerged from its chrysalis and flew away specifically represented the immortal soul (Greek 'psyche') leaving the human body in death, and carrying on into the afterlife.

STONES 

Turquoise & Amethyst

MEASUREMENTS 

Height: 2.3cm

Base: 12.8 x 10.5mm

WEIGHT 

4.1g

MARKS 

No marks present, tests as 15k gold

CONDITION 

Very good