Ring
1750-1800 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This ring is in the shape of a garter, one of the insignia of the Order of the Garter. It is inscribed with the motto of the Order: Honi soit qui mal y pense. Garter rings form a very small and as yet, not fully understood group. The earliest ring of this type known dates from 1626 but other examples date from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
The Order of the Garter was founded by Edward III in 1348 and is the oldest order of chivalry in Europe. The insignia of the Order have developed over the centuries: starting with a garter and badge depicting St George and the Dragon. A collar was added in the sixteenth century, and the star and broad riband in the seventeenth century. However, rings were not included in the formal insignia.
Elias Ashmole, the seventeenth century antiquary, suggested that the rings were distributed to the friends and relatives of newly inaugurated knights whilst a nineteenth century historian believes them to be gifts to commemorate a deceased Garter King of Arms. A ring in Winchester Cathedral which is in the shape of a dark blue enamel Garter with a diamond set in the bezel seems to have been made as a mourning gift. The inside of the hoop is inscribed 'Memorarere Novissima' (Remember the last things) with the initials LA and a skull. This may have been one of the 20 rings bequeathed by Lancelot Andrewes, bishop of Winchester (died 1626) and a member of the Order of the Garter. His will states that 'I bequeath the sum of three hundred pounds to be bestowed in Rings of gold upon such of my good friends as I am bound in thankfulness to remember, the names I will set in a list to my will annexed.'
The Order of the Garter was founded by Edward III in 1348 and is the oldest order of chivalry in Europe. The insignia of the Order have developed over the centuries: starting with a garter and badge depicting St George and the Dragon. A collar was added in the sixteenth century, and the star and broad riband in the seventeenth century. However, rings were not included in the formal insignia.
Elias Ashmole, the seventeenth century antiquary, suggested that the rings were distributed to the friends and relatives of newly inaugurated knights whilst a nineteenth century historian believes them to be gifts to commemorate a deceased Garter King of Arms. A ring in Winchester Cathedral which is in the shape of a dark blue enamel Garter with a diamond set in the bezel seems to have been made as a mourning gift. The inside of the hoop is inscribed 'Memorarere Novissima' (Remember the last things) with the initials LA and a skull. This may have been one of the 20 rings bequeathed by Lancelot Andrewes, bishop of Winchester (died 1626) and a member of the Order of the Garter. His will states that 'I bequeath the sum of three hundred pounds to be bestowed in Rings of gold upon such of my good friends as I am bound in thankfulness to remember, the names I will set in a list to my will annexed.'
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Enamelled gold |
| Brief description | Gold and blue enamel ring in the form of a garter. English, 1750-1800. |
| Physical description | Band in the form of a wavy rococo garter set with a buckle. Enamelled in royal blue with a feathered gold border, the inscription in reserve in gold reading HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Marks and inscriptions | Unknown |
| Credit line | Given by Edward Donohoe |
| Historical context | Garter rings form a small and as yet, not fully understood group. Only seven rings are currently known of, five of which were published by Edward Donohoe in 1990. Their original function and significance are not yet known: certain rings appear to have a mourning function whilst at least one other is an early eighteenth century Jacobite ring. Elias Ashmole refers to their use in the seventeenth century and suggests that they may have been given to friends and relations by newly installed Knights. In 1842, Sir Nicholas Harris described the contemporary use of the rings as mourning rings for the friends of a deceased Garter King at Arms. However, no corroborating evidence regarding their use has yet been found in the portraits or papers of Garter knights or in any wills or inventories. A similar ring with a blue enamel hoop and emerald and diamond cluster buckle, inscribed 'Honi soit qui mal y pense' was sold by Christie's, 4 October 1989, lot 368 and again 5 October, 1994, lot. 20. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | This ring is in the shape of a garter, one of the insignia of the Order of the Garter. It is inscribed with the motto of the Order: Honi soit qui mal y pense. Garter rings form a very small and as yet, not fully understood group. The earliest ring of this type known dates from 1626 but other examples date from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The Order of the Garter was founded by Edward III in 1348 and is the oldest order of chivalry in Europe. The insignia of the Order have developed over the centuries: starting with a garter and badge depicting St George and the Dragon. A collar was added in the sixteenth century, and the star and broad riband in the seventeenth century. However, rings were not included in the formal insignia. Elias Ashmole, the seventeenth century antiquary, suggested that the rings were distributed to the friends and relatives of newly inaugurated knights whilst a nineteenth century historian believes them to be gifts to commemorate a deceased Garter King of Arms. A ring in Winchester Cathedral which is in the shape of a dark blue enamel Garter with a diamond set in the bezel seems to have been made as a mourning gift. The inside of the hoop is inscribed 'Memorarere Novissima' (Remember the last things) with the initials LA and a skull. This may have been one of the 20 rings bequeathed by Lancelot Andrewes, bishop of Winchester (died 1626) and a member of the Order of the Garter. His will states that 'I bequeath the sum of three hundred pounds to be bestowed in Rings of gold upon such of my good friends as I am bound in thankfulness to remember, the names I will set in a list to my will annexed.' |
| Bibliographic references |
|
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.20-2004 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | December 15, 2004 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
