3 stamp hallmark on gold ring- one may be a dog's head?

[rubyann]

I recently purchased this ring and absolutely cannot make sense of the marks. There are 3 separate stamps. The first looks like the head of a hound/beagle, facing right, and the outline of the stamp is squarish with either rounded or clipped corners. The middle stamp is faint, but I can make out what looks like a star and either a crescent or chalice inside an oval shape, but the orientation is opposite to the first. The last stamp looks like a crown resting on something. Each of these marks is smaller than a poppyseed. The ring is ornate, gold with a silver face, looks like it was made c.1890-1920. The dealer I bought it from seemed to think it was Russian, but I haven't found any Russian marks that look similar to these.

I'd appreciate any info, also any other interpretations of the marks.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/umamimama/7430282226
http://www.flickr.com/photos/umamimama/7430265538
http://www.flickr.com/photos/umamimama/7430282070

[dognose]

Hi Rubyann,

They are Portuguese marks. The ring was assayed in the city of Porto, the hound's head mark indicates a combination of gold and silver (min. 800 and 830), the centre mark, I guess, is the maker's mark, and the rooster's head mark was a mark struck for combined metals on jewellery.

The use of these marks occurred as from the 1st Janurary 1938.

Trev.

[rubyann]

Wow! Thank you so much!!

[rubyann]

I found a chart with all the Portuguese marks on it- not easily, so I'll repost a link here:

http://www.ourivesariaportuguesa.info/marcas1938.html

[Aguest]

::: The Portuguese hallmarks for mixed-metals jewelry enacted in 1938 are confusing because they do not specify the fineness of the metals. ::::
::: All you basically know is that you bought a ring made of gold & silver (dog's head & chicken) but you don't know the fineness of either metal? :::::