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Not currently on display at the V&A

Ring

1650-1800 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This ring was described as Icelandic, from the late fifteenth or early sixteenth century, when it was acquired by the Museum in 1902. Although the design is undoubtedly late medieval, the ring itself may not be as old. Rings of medieval type continued to be made and worn throughout the Scandinavian region, particularly in Norway, up to the nineteenth century. It is unlikely to have been made in Iceland itself, as the majority of silver made there was for church use, or for wear with the traditional costume, and rings such as this were not part of it. The motif of a heart in a ring of roses has Christian as well as romantic connotations.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silver gilt
Brief description
Silver-gilt ring with a heart surrounded by foliage, Scandinavia, 1650-1800.
Physical description
Silver-gilt ring with grooved shank, split shoulders, and a pierced front with a heart in the centre surrounded by a wreath of foliage. There are stylised flowers over the space on the shoulders.
Dimensions
  • Height: 2.6cm
  • Width: 2.5cm
  • Depth: 1.9cm
Subjects depicted
Summary
This ring was described as Icelandic, from the late fifteenth or early sixteenth century, when it was acquired by the Museum in 1902. Although the design is undoubtedly late medieval, the ring itself may not be as old. Rings of medieval type continued to be made and worn throughout the Scandinavian region, particularly in Norway, up to the nineteenth century. It is unlikely to have been made in Iceland itself, as the majority of silver made there was for church use, or for wear with the traditional costume, and rings such as this were not part of it. The motif of a heart in a ring of roses has Christian as well as romantic connotations.
Collection
Accession number
949-1902

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Record createdNovember 1, 2005
Record URL
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