So This Is a Thing That Happened

blue jay

american kestrel

painted bunting

yellow-throated vireo

cerulean warbler

baltimore oriole

american goldfinch

northern cardinal

stylish accessory bird

loud and delicious bird

bird that will kung fu your face while you are grilling in your backyard

overly dramatic fishwizard bird

demonic creepy noise duck

assorted sky-cats

screaming inflatable doofus bird

stump

not technically native but it poops on my lawn

toasted marshmallow friend

This pudgy little bastard has a call that sounds like “Cheeseburger”.

Western tanager

Violet-green swallow

Anna’s hummingbird

And the musical little fellow that you hear all the time and don’t even realize

The Dragon and the Woman clothed with the Sun

Alexander Minorita, Expositio in Apocalypsim, Germany 1249-1250

Cambridge University Library, MS Mm.5.31, fol. 76r

A ruby, diamond, enamel and gold ring, circa 1750.

Designed as a pair of billing doves with outstretched wings, each set with a facetted diamond to their breast, perched on a branch embellished with two white diamond-set flowers, between two larger white and blue flowerhead motifs each set with a cushion-shaped ruby, applied throughout with black, white, green and deep blue enamel, the reverse similarly enamelled with an indistinct inscription in French shorthand, only distinguishable words being 'par amour', to a fluted gold shank with black enamel, circa 1765, UK size L1/2.

Billing doves as a representation of romantic love was popular in the 18th Century (their are mid 18th century Meissen porcelain versions of this scene for example) but can be traced back to ancient times as a symbol of love and desire, and as such are associated with the goddess Venus. It is safe to presume this ring would have been given as a token of love and the word 'Amour' legible to the reverse of the doves further confirms this. The ruby is also known as a representation of love due to its colour and can be found flanking the doves in this ring.

It is incredibly rare that examples of such jewels from this period survive today, and this is a particularly elaborate example. As can be imagined, their delicate enamel work and frames mean that most are lost to the sands of time, making this little treasure all the more precious.