Signet Ring
early 14th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Rings are the most commonly surviving medieval jewels. They were worn by both sexes, across all levels of society. Some portraits show wearers with multiple rings across all their fingers. Although rings were worn for decoration, they also had important practical functions. Signet rings such as this one were pressed into hot sealing wax to create a unique, legally recognised signature.
Signets could be engraved with a coat of arms for those entitled to bear them, with a personal device or simply with an initial letter. The bezel and shoulders of this gold ring are set with a coat of arms in a shield.
Before this ring was acquired by the V&A, it was in the collections of two great rings collectors, Ernest Guilhou and Dame Joan Evans.
Signets could be engraved with a coat of arms for those entitled to bear them, with a personal device or simply with an initial letter. The bezel and shoulders of this gold ring are set with a coat of arms in a shield.
Before this ring was acquired by the V&A, it was in the collections of two great rings collectors, Ernest Guilhou and Dame Joan Evans.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Engraved gold |
| Brief description | Gold signet ring with a circular bezel engraved with a coat of arms and inscribed in lombardic characters + S:MENTO:SASO.. With applied shields on the shoulders, Spain or Italy, early 14th century |
| Physical description | Gold signet ring with a circular bezel engraved with a coat of arms and inscribed in lombardic characters + S:MENTO:SASO.. With applied shields on the shoulders. The arms are described as 'Barry, on a fesse, three fleurs de lys'. The same arms are shown on the bezel and the shoulders. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Credit line | Given by Dame Joan Evans |
| Object history | An Italian ring in the British Museum collection (Dalton, 247) is also set with shields on the shoulders. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Association | |
| Summary | Rings are the most commonly surviving medieval jewels. They were worn by both sexes, across all levels of society. Some portraits show wearers with multiple rings across all their fingers. Although rings were worn for decoration, they also had important practical functions. Signet rings such as this one were pressed into hot sealing wax to create a unique, legally recognised signature. Signets could be engraved with a coat of arms for those entitled to bear them, with a personal device or simply with an initial letter. The bezel and shoulders of this gold ring are set with a coat of arms in a shield. Before this ring was acquired by the V&A, it was in the collections of two great rings collectors, Ernest Guilhou and Dame Joan Evans. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.277-1962 |
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| Record created | February 14, 2006 |
| Record URL |
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