14K Signet Ringed marked "Tiffany"--opinions on marks? Updated

[HistoryTeacher]

I got a little lot of jewelry including some gold. I didn't notice the "Tiffany" mark on this one until I got it home. The mark doesn't look real to me, but I haven't really studied it. What do you think of these markings?
Fake or real?

Updated: the mark next to the 14 appears to be a Larter and Sons mark; apparently, they manufactured pieces for Tiffany?

The Latin spero meliora on the front means "I aspire to better things"

 

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[Red-Coat]

That’s rather splendid. The marks look good to me, and Larter & Sons did indeed make for Tiffany… especially cufflinks, signet rings and other gentlemens’ jewellery. I would think this is from the 1950s plus or minus a decade and potentially rather valuable. I’ve seen them go for $1,000 or more, and (if you want to sell it) playing up the description for the family name it represents might narrow the target market but actually increase the sale price to an interested party. I’m sure it’s for the ‘Lowe’ family.

https://sites.rootsweb.com/~villandra/LoweCrests.html

Although I don’t think it appears in an armorial register in exactly that form, it does seem to borrow the motto, the crest and the armorial charges used by various branches of the family, although not necessarily in that combination. Probably someone from the family has done some research and combined the elements they found. Note that the heraldic convention in black-and-white illustrations or other non-coloured representation is for colours (stains) to be represented by patterns. Red (gules) is represented by parallel vertical lines, so the two wolves passant on the armorial are on a red field as for some versions of the Worcestershire branch of the Lowe family.

 

[HistoryTeacher]

That’s rather splendid. The marks look good to me, and Larter & Sons did indeed make for Tiffany… especially cufflinks, signet rings and other gentlemens’ jewellery. I would think this is from the 1950s plus or minus a decade and potentially rather valuable. I’ve seen them go for $1,000 or more, and (if you want to sell it) playing up the description for the family name it represents might narrow the target market but actually increase the sale price to an interested party. I’m sure it’s for the ‘Lowe’ family.

https://sites.rootsweb.com/~villandra/LoweCrests.html

Although I don’t think it appears in an armorial register in exactly that form, it does seem to borrow the motto, the crest and the armorial charges used by various branches of the family, although not necessarily in that combination. Probably someone from the family has done some research and combined the elements they found. Note that the heraldic convention in black-and-white illustrations or other non-coloured representation is for colours (stains) to be represented by patterns. Red (gules) is represented by parallel vertical lines, so the two wolves passant on the armorial are on a red field as for some versions of the Worcestershire branch of the Lowe family.

Thanks Red-Coat for the information. I have zero experience with real Tiffany pieces, so I am thrilled you think it looks good. Hopefully this will be my little Christmas miracle. Thanks again for your input!

 

[ARC]

Its a crest ring... only reservation i have is its 14k.. most times they were 18k... as with almost all Tiffany.

 

[Red-Coat]

Its a crest ring... only reservation i have is its 14k.. most times they were 18k... as with almost all Tiffany.

Larter rings are usually 14k, including the ones they made for Tiffany.

 

[HistoryTeacher]

I was able to sell it for $850. I am sure I could have gotten much more it if wasn't a size 4.5.

 

[artslinger]

I was able to sell it for $850. I am sure I could have gotten much more it if wasn't a size 4.5.

What a great score! Congratulations. Beautiful ring!

artslinger

 

[Red-Coat]

I was able to sell it for $850. I am sure I could have gotten much more it if wasn't a size 4.5.

Well done, HT.

That's a decent return for a nice ring.

 

[Kuwanki]

"Spero mel ora" means "In Hope of Better Things"

 

[Blackfoot58]

"Spero mel ora" means "In Hope of Better Things"

spero meliora

 

[Red-Coat]

"Spero mel ora" means "In Hope of Better Things"

spero meliora

The motto of the Lowe family is indeed "“Spero Meliora”.

"Spero” is the first person singular active for the verb to “Apsire”, “Desire” or “Hope”, and “Meliora” means "to improve” or “to make better”.

So, the literal Latin to English translation of the motto is “I hope for better [things]”. In a modern context, it is given the more emphatic meaning, but liberal translation: "Aspire to greater things”.