ring
Ring
1650-1799 (made)
1650-1799 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This ring was described as a Jewish marriage ring, made in Germany in the 16th century, when it was acquired by the Museum in 1855.
The description of Jewish marriage or betrothal ring is often applied to elaborate rings with Hebrew inscriptions. Their role is not entirely clear. Jewish wives wore simple gold wedding rings but these rings seem to have been used symbolically and only during the marriage ceremony. They are often too large and bulky to have been worn routinely.
The earliest rings of this kind date back to the 14th century. These typically have buildings on the bezel reminiscent of the Temple in Jerusalem, and are related to other non-Jewish medieval edicular rings, that is those with architectural designs. Filigree rings, like this one, were not recorded before the mid-19th century. There is no certain evidence as to where or when they were made. It is unlikely that any of them date from before the 17th century, due to their technical characteristics, and some may be no earlier than the 19th century when they were in great demand among collectors. There is increasing evidence that at least some Jewish marriage rings made of gold filigree may have come from Transylvania.
The description of Jewish marriage or betrothal ring is often applied to elaborate rings with Hebrew inscriptions. Their role is not entirely clear. Jewish wives wore simple gold wedding rings but these rings seem to have been used symbolically and only during the marriage ceremony. They are often too large and bulky to have been worn routinely.
The earliest rings of this kind date back to the 14th century. These typically have buildings on the bezel reminiscent of the Temple in Jerusalem, and are related to other non-Jewish medieval edicular rings, that is those with architectural designs. Filigree rings, like this one, were not recorded before the mid-19th century. There is no certain evidence as to where or when they were made. It is unlikely that any of them date from before the 17th century, due to their technical characteristics, and some may be no earlier than the 19th century when they were in great demand among collectors. There is increasing evidence that at least some Jewish marriage rings made of gold filigree may have come from Transylvania.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | ring |
| Materials and techniques | Gold filigree |
| Brief description | Gold Jewish marriage ring with two rows of filigree bosses, Eastern Europe, 1650-1799. |
| Physical description | Gold band ring decorated with two rows each consisting of 10 filigree domes separated from each other by pairs of granules. There is a band of braided wire between the two rows, and along each rim. The ring is inscribed with the letters M and T in Hebrew, standing for 'mazal tov', inside the shank. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | טי מ (Engraved on the inside of the shank.)
|
| Summary | This ring was described as a Jewish marriage ring, made in Germany in the 16th century, when it was acquired by the Museum in 1855. The description of Jewish marriage or betrothal ring is often applied to elaborate rings with Hebrew inscriptions. Their role is not entirely clear. Jewish wives wore simple gold wedding rings but these rings seem to have been used symbolically and only during the marriage ceremony. They are often too large and bulky to have been worn routinely. The earliest rings of this kind date back to the 14th century. These typically have buildings on the bezel reminiscent of the Temple in Jerusalem, and are related to other non-Jewish medieval edicular rings, that is those with architectural designs. Filigree rings, like this one, were not recorded before the mid-19th century. There is no certain evidence as to where or when they were made. It is unlikely that any of them date from before the 17th century, due to their technical characteristics, and some may be no earlier than the 19th century when they were in great demand among collectors. There is increasing evidence that at least some Jewish marriage rings made of gold filigree may have come from Transylvania. |
| Bibliographic reference | Similar rings are in many collections, including the British Museum, the Musèe de Cluny, and the Koch collection. For an example, and a comprehensive list of references, see:
Chadour, Beatriz. 'Ringe. Die Alice und Louis Koch Sammlung', Leeds, 1994, fig. 1090 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 2746-1855 |
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| Record created | January 3, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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