Medieval copper-alloy seal token, circa 1300 AD. Set in an 18ct gold and diamond cocktail ring.
The seal bears an image of the four-leaved plant Paris quadrifolia, known in medieval England as the 'truelove'. The inscription around the edge reads "LEL AMI AVET", a seal insignia that translates directly as "You have a loyal friend".
Dr Malcolm Jones notes: 'This inscription need to be understood in the context of the imagery and conventions of amour courtois or Courtly Love. In this context "ami" means ‘love or lover,’ so the legend reads, “you have a faithful love”. The seal head, cut off from the fob, may have been given as a token.
