Standing lion with a gold-coloured mane designed by Moshe Oved - £3500 at Dreweatts’ auction.
It has the London hallmarks CC. Oved famously modelled the first of a series of lost wax-cast animal rings (a lamb) while sheltering in the basement of Cameo Corner during the Blitz. He later cast it from his own cufflinks after he learnt that a client’s son had been killed in action.
Oved went on to make numerous anthropomorphic rings, mostly in silver, but some in gold. Previous saleroom results attest to their popularity and the lion is among the rarer models.
Offered for sale at Dreweatts (25/20/12% buyer’s premium) in Newbury, Berkshire, on October 23, it attracted huge interest at its estimate of just £30-50 but ultimately sold at £3500.
Also see the John Benjamin interview this edition.
