Signet Ring thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Jewellery, Rooms 91, The William and Judith Bollinger Gallery

Signet Ring

ca. 1652 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This ring would have been used as a signet, pressed into hot wax to seal a letter or packet. Personal seals (secreta) provided an essential legal safeguard and were used to witness documents such as wills, deeds of gift, loans and commercial documents, personal letters and land indentures.

Signet rings could be engraved with a coat of arms or crest, an initial, a merchant's mark (a geometric symbol used to mark goods or personal belongings), or a personal symbol. Sixteenth and seventeenth century portraits show signet rings worn on the forefinger or thumb, presumably to make it easy to apply the ring to the wax by turning the hand. They were items of jewellery with a practical function but the use of precious metals and engraved hardstones indicates that they were also signs of status.

The cornelian on the bezel of this ring is engraved with the arms of the Rushe family, whilst the inside of the ring has been inscribed with two memorial inscriptions in Latin recording the deaths of IR on September 13th, (16?) 52, aged 63 and TS who died September (16?)75, aged 61.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Engraved gold set with a carnelian intaglio
Brief description
Gold signet ring set with a carnelian intaglio engraved with the arms of Rushe (?). Engraved behind with a skull and inscribed 'I/ R/ Obijt Sep. t/ 13th .52. etat.63', England, ca.1652.
Physical description
Gold signet ring with an oval bezel, with a scalloped edge, set with a cornelian intaglio. The intaglio with the arms of Rushe (?), engraved behind with a skull and inscribed 'I/ R/ Obijt Sep. t/ 13th .52. etat.63'
Dimensions
  • Height: 2.1cm
  • Width: 1.9cm
  • Depth: 1.6cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • inscribed 'I/ R/ Obijt Sep. t/ 13th .52. etat.63' (Engraved behind)
  • coat of arms (The intaglio; the arms of Rushe (?), Co. Essex)
Credit line
Given by Dame Joan Evans
Subjects depicted
Association
Summary
This ring would have been used as a signet, pressed into hot wax to seal a letter or packet. Personal seals (secreta) provided an essential legal safeguard and were used to witness documents such as wills, deeds of gift, loans and commercial documents, personal letters and land indentures.

Signet rings could be engraved with a coat of arms or crest, an initial, a merchant's mark (a geometric symbol used to mark goods or personal belongings), or a personal symbol. Sixteenth and seventeenth century portraits show signet rings worn on the forefinger or thumb, presumably to make it easy to apply the ring to the wax by turning the hand. They were items of jewellery with a practical function but the use of precious metals and engraved hardstones indicates that they were also signs of status.

The cornelian on the bezel of this ring is engraved with the arms of the Rushe family, whilst the inside of the ring has been inscribed with two memorial inscriptions in Latin recording the deaths of IR on September 13th, (16?) 52, aged 63 and TS who died September (16?)75, aged 61.
Collection
Accession number
M.271-1962

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Record createdNovember 23, 2005
Record URL
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