Some of the earliest surviving jewellery, as far back as the Stone Age, is made of naturally found objects such as perforated shells, seeds and animal teeth. Teeth from predatory animals such as bears and wolves may have been favoured as a means of appropriating some of the strength and power of the animal and may have been used as amulets. In medieval and early modern Europe, wolves' teeth were thought to protect babies and help with teething. In 1713, Lady Wentworth sent a wolf’s tooth set in gold to her son the Earl of Strafford, but whether she was serious or merely mocking local superstition is not clear!

‘I have made your daughter a present of a wolf’s tooth. I sent to Ireland for it and I set it here in gold. They are very lucky things; for my two, first one did dye, the other bred his very ill and none of ye Rest did, for I had one for all the rest.’

This ring forms 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.