Ring
ca. 1860 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The hoop of this ring is made of plaited hair set in a gold frame. The bezel is formed of a small shield, enamelled in black and set with the letters G.C. It may have been made as a memorial or mourning ring but could also have been a gift of love or friendship. Hair was widely used in jewellery in the 19th century, formed into bracelets, watch-chains or necklaces or used decoratively on ring bezels and in lockets.
The mark H.H. & S. may be that of Henry Hobson and Son of Birmingham.
The mark H.H. & S. may be that of Henry Hobson and Son of Birmingham.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Enamelled and engraved gold with plaited hair |
| Brief description | Gold ring with black enamel shield. The bezel in the form of a shield inscribed G.C. The hoop bound outside with plaited hair, with maker's mark 'H.H. & S.', England, ca.1860 |
| Physical description | Gold mourning ring, enamelled in black. The bezel in the form of a shield inscribed G.C. The hoop bound outside with plaited hair, with maker's mark 'H.H. & S.' |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Credit line | Given by Mrs Mary I. Courtenay |
| Object history | The donor stated that the initials on the bezel were those of George Chapman, the grandfather of her old nurse. The ring is marked 10 carat which is not a legal standard in the United Kingdom. It was suggested that jewellers sometimes illicitly marked their goods as 10 carat to make them appear better value than the standard 9. A rough assay was made of the ring by Goldsmiths Hall and the gold was found to be around 8 to 9 carat. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The hoop of this ring is made of plaited hair set in a gold frame. The bezel is formed of a small shield, enamelled in black and set with the letters G.C. It may have been made as a memorial or mourning ring but could also have been a gift of love or friendship. Hair was widely used in jewellery in the 19th century, formed into bracelets, watch-chains or necklaces or used decoratively on ring bezels and in lockets. The mark H.H. & S. may be that of Henry Hobson and Son of Birmingham. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.67-1949 |
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| Record created | April 28, 2006 |
| Record URL |
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