I showed my daughter the photo of the ring above with its working drawbridge. She liked the charming peculiarity of the thing and encouraged me to put it up here so other people could also be amused. New-made, it recently emerged from the workshop of Theo Fennell in London.
By contrast the bodice ornament below dates back to about 1650, created in some unnamed workshop in Spain from gold, rock crystal and enamel. This ultra-fancy pin recently was offered by dealer Deborah Elvira, located in the euphoniously-named metropolis of Oropesa del Mar.
