RING OF LOYALTY PRESENTED TO LOUIS FRANÇOIS XAVIER DULIÈGE D'AUNIS (or D'ARREST), LIGHT-HEADED OF THE KING'S MILITARY HOUSE, ON MAY 24, 1815, RESTORATION.

LOYALTY RING GIVEN TO LOUIS FRANÇOIS XAVIER DULIÈGE D'AUNIS (or D'ARREST), LIGHT HORSEMAN OF THE KING'S MILITARY HOUSE, ON MAY 24, 1815, RESTORATION.

18-carat rose gold signet ring, plain in design, with an oval bezel in slightly paler gold, featuring two crossed swords on top, with the motto "Long live the king no matter what!" On the thickness of the bezel, "Gand, 24 May 1815" (the city is almost illegible). On the left side of the bezel, "To God my soul, my heart to the ladies," on two lines; on the right side of the bezel, also on two lines, "My life to the king, honor to me." Inside the ring is engraved "Duliège d'Aunis," with the initials LMTPAF," and at the location corresponding to the bezel, a heart-shaped shield with uppercase letters bearing the initials of the royal family members: L. (Louis XVIII), M.T. (Marie-Thérèse, Duchess of Angoulême), P. (Louis-Philippe, Duke of Orléans), A. (Antoine, Duke of Angoulême), F. (Ferdinand, Duke of Berry), C. (Charles, Count of Artois). Approximately 3.6 grams in weight, Ring size 65 mm, Height of the ring with the bezel approximately 27.5 mm.

In very good state of preservation.

BIOGRAPHY:
Louis François Xavier Duliège d'Aunis (or Duliège d'Arrest), born on January 12, 1795 in Ballavesne, now part of Toeufles (Somme), died on August 1, 1851. Lieutenant in the company of the Light Horsemen of the King's Military House, appointed Knight of the Legion of Honor on December 30, 1815.

HISTORY:
Faced with the unexpected return of the Emperor to France in February 1815, Louis XVIII left Paris for Ghent.

Rings of the two-swords type:
The military personnel of the royal army who followed him to Belgium received a certificate signed by the Duke of Berry, attesting to their participation in that army. The officers decided to have a ring made bearing two crossed swords with the motto "My life to the king, my heart to the ladies." These rings, of which a few examples are known, also include the initial letters of the royal family: L, MT, P, A, F, C (Louis XVIII, Marie-Thérèse, Duchess of Angoulême, Louis-Philippe, Duke of Orléans, Antoine, Duke of Angoulême, Ferdinand, Duke of Berry, Charles, Count of Artois). The name of the recipient, along with the day and place where they crossed the border, are also engraved on the ring. The creation of these rings was entrusted to Mr. Brechemin, jeweler at the Palais-Royal, gallery of the Bons-Enfants, No. 128. He kept a register to avoid any mistakes. These rings were only made or remitted upon presentation of the certificate.
- One example belonged to Jacques Brasseur, a conductor of the artillery train in the King's Guard Companies. The inscription on the bezel reads: "Ghent, March 17, 1815," and the inside engraving reads "Brasseur Jacques, artillery conductor of the Royal Guard," with a shield bearing the initials: L, MT, P, A, F, C. This conductor was probably involved in the artillery train and their teams in the King's Guard Companies.
- Another example is dated March 25, 1815, with the bezel being a small oval hinged box used as a reliquary. It bears the inscription "Mis de Monpezat, Senior Staff Officer of the Marechal de la Gre," with a heart-shaped shield with the initials L. MT. P. A. F. Just like another example from March 1815, which belonged to Gérard de Contamine d'Arimont, a member of the King's Guard. On a ring of the same model from the Valles (or d'Hozier) family, the bezel also forms a small reliquary box, dated "Ypres, March 25, 1815."
- An example from the former Thierry Marais collection attributed to a King's Guard.
- Three other examples in private collections.
- One example attributed to G.M.G. Herman, with "Ghent, May 3, 1815" inscribed on the bezel.
- A ring given to Louis François Xavier Duliège d'Aunis (or d'Arrest), a horseman of the King's Military House, awarded on May 24, 1815 (private collection).
- A ring given to Ferdinand de Cacheleu (1784), guard of the King's Guard, at "Ghent, May 28, 1815."
- A ring given to Chevalier de Canolle, dated "Ghent, March 1815," featuring a miniature of Louis XVIII at the bottom of the bezel.
- Two rings given to Viscount d'Hardouineau, aide-de-camp of Louis XVIII, King's Guard, one dated May 24, 1815, and the other May 25, 1815 in Ypres.