14K Gold Early Victorian Banded Agate Intaglio Fob

Circa the 1840’s, this early Victorian fob has a family crest intaglio carved into a banded agate, set in 14k gold. The profile of the fob is a lyrical scrolling foliate that comes into a pyramid form. The foliate is lace-like, delicate, and refined; the sides of the fob mirror each other, and are tied together with crescent shaped elements at each end. The fob holds a banded agate intaglio in a collet setting. This beautiful design is a great example of an early Victorian fob.

Upon first glance, the striping of the banded agate is the first thing to catch the eye. The stone has a lot of graining in it, and the stone’s translucence gives it a lot of depth. When held in the light, the carved intaglio on the surface of the stone becomes visible. The intaglio is a vignette of a pig above what appears to be a hungry wolf, along with the words “Vires animat virtus,” which translates to “excellence animates our powers”. The crest can be attributed to the Scottish Gairden family, and banded agate is a native stone to Scotland. We love that the imagery of the crest lends itself to a narrative—which is unusual for a crest—leaving us to wonder about the connection between the pig and the wolf. 

The fob measures 1 1/8” x 7/8”, and the face of the intaglio measures 7/8” x 3/4”. The fob hangs from a round bail that measures 8.5 mm. The fob weighs 9.15 grams. The piece is unmarked and acid tests as 14k gold.