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

Ring

1650-1700 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Gold ring, the bezel in the form of a bust of a black man dressed as a Venetian carnival figure, enamelled and set with table-cut diamonds, an emerald and rubies, on a pivot holding the two hoops together. The latter enamelled outside and inscribed inside 'TAL QVAL ME MIRI, IO FVI SEMPRE PER TE'.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Gold, enamelled and set with table-cut diamonds, an emerald and rubies
Brief description
Gold ring, the bezel in the form of a Venetian carnival figure, enamelled and set with table-cut diamonds, an emerald and rubies, with two hoops pivoted together, inscribed inside 'TAL QVAL ME MIRI, IO FVI SEMPRE PER TE' (to you I have always been as I saw myself), Italy, 1650-1700.
Physical description
Gold ring, the bezel in the form of a bust of a black man dressed as a Venetian carnival figure, enamelled and set with table-cut diamonds, an emerald and rubies, on a pivot holding the two hoops together. The latter enamelled outside and inscribed inside 'TAL QVAL ME MIRI, IO FVI SEMPRE PER TE'.
Dimensions
  • Height: 2.7cm
  • Width: 2.1cm
  • Depth: 2.1cm
Marks and inscriptions
'TAL QVAL ME MIRI, IO FVI SEMPRE PER TE' (inscription on the inside)
Translation
'To you I have always been as I saw myself'
Credit line
Given by Dame Joan Evans
Object history
Though not a proper gimmel ring, as the bezel does not divide, this specimen is clearly inspired by the gimmel type.
Literary referenceCarnival
Collection
Accession number
M.231-1975

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Record createdNovember 16, 2005
Record URL
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