Ring
1750-1799 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This ring is a betrothal or wedding ring, as shown by the clasped hands at the top and bottom of the front.
Rings have been an integral element of betrothal and marriage throughout Europe since the Middle Ages. They were not always the plain gold bands which have now become standard, and various different shapes survived, particularly with traditional dress, up to the early 20th century. Their use varied from place to place. In many regions the betrothal was a more important and binding ceremony than the wedding itself, and the betrothal ring was a clear record of this, particularly in Germany.
This ring was described as Scandinavian when it was given to the Museum in 1904, but it is more likely to come from the north coast region of Frisia, on the border between the Netherlands and Germany.
Rings have been an integral element of betrothal and marriage throughout Europe since the Middle Ages. They were not always the plain gold bands which have now become standard, and various different shapes survived, particularly with traditional dress, up to the early 20th century. Their use varied from place to place. In many regions the betrothal was a more important and binding ceremony than the wedding itself, and the betrothal ring was a clear record of this, particularly in Germany.
This ring was described as Scandinavian when it was given to the Museum in 1904, but it is more likely to come from the north coast region of Frisia, on the border between the Netherlands and Germany.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Silver-gilt |
| Brief description | Silver-gilt band ring with applied rosettes and clasped hands, northern Germany, 1750-1799. |
| Physical description | Wide silver-gilt band ring with parallel bands round the hoop. A large cast rosette is soldered to the front. A cast motif of a pair of clasped hands, with a smaller matching rosette at each end, is attached above and below the central rosette, on the edges of the ring. |
| Dimensions |
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| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | This ring is a betrothal or wedding ring, as shown by the clasped hands at the top and bottom of the front. Rings have been an integral element of betrothal and marriage throughout Europe since the Middle Ages. They were not always the plain gold bands which have now become standard, and various different shapes survived, particularly with traditional dress, up to the early 20th century. Their use varied from place to place. In many regions the betrothal was a more important and binding ceremony than the wedding itself, and the betrothal ring was a clear record of this, particularly in Germany. This ring was described as Scandinavian when it was given to the Museum in 1904, but it is more likely to come from the north coast region of Frisia, on the border between the Netherlands and Germany. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 904-1904 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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