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Ring

1650-1850 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Rings with two clasped hands were used in Roman times as a symbol of betrothal or marriage. This tradition continued during the Middle Ages, and afterwards, in many places in western Europe, as part of local tradition. The word fede, meaning faith, was used for medieval rings of this design. They are also often called gimmel rings, meaning twin, when they are made from two separate parts, as here.

This example was described as seventeenth-century Bohemian when it was acquired by the Museum in 1871. It was part of a collection of 760 rings and engraved gems from the collection of Edmund Waterton (1830-87). Waterton was one of the foremost ring collectors of the nineteenth century and was the author of several articles on rings, a book on English devotion to the Virgin Mary and an unfinished catalogue of his collection (the manuscript is now the National Art Library). Waterton was noted for his extravagance and financial troubles caused him to place his collection in pawn with the London jeweller Robert Phillips. When he was unable to repay the loan, Phillips offered to sell the collection to the Museum and it was acquired in 1871. A small group of rings which Waterton had held back were acquired in 1899.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silver gilt set with garnets
Brief description
Gimmel fede ring, silver gilt set with garnets, Mid Europe, 1650-1850.
Physical description
Silver-gilt double ring, consisting of two separate interlocking rings, each set with a quatrefoil and one hand. Each quatrefoil has a small garnet in its centre. When the two hands are clasped together the two rings appear as one.
Dimensions
  • Height: 2.25cm
  • Width: 2.2cm
  • Depth: 1cm
Object history
Waterton Collection
Subjects depicted
Summary
Rings with two clasped hands were used in Roman times as a symbol of betrothal or marriage. This tradition continued during the Middle Ages, and afterwards, in many places in western Europe, as part of local tradition. The word fede, meaning faith, was used for medieval rings of this design. They are also often called gimmel rings, meaning twin, when they are made from two separate parts, as here.

This example was described as seventeenth-century Bohemian when it was acquired by the Museum in 1871. It was part of a collection of 760 rings and engraved gems from the collection of Edmund Waterton (1830-87). Waterton was one of the foremost ring collectors of the nineteenth century and was the author of several articles on rings, a book on English devotion to the Virgin Mary and an unfinished catalogue of his collection (the manuscript is now the National Art Library). Waterton was noted for his extravagance and financial troubles caused him to place his collection in pawn with the London jeweller Robert Phillips. When he was unable to repay the loan, Phillips offered to sell the collection to the Museum and it was acquired in 1871. A small group of rings which Waterton had held back were acquired in 1899.
Collection
Accession number
855-1871

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Record createdNovember 1, 2005
Record URL
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