Victorian Mourning Ring With Braided Hair & Pearls In Gold, London Circa 1890

To the eternal memory

Victorian Mourning Ring With Braided Hair & Pearls In Gold, London Circa 1890

€ 1,190.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Description

This description was automatically translated from German. If you have any questions about this piece of jewellery, we will be happy to help!

n past centuries, death was still omnipresent: life expectancy was low and the confrontation with death was as present as it was inevitable. In this context, jewellery had a deep symbolic meaning. Its special role in the areas of death, mourning and remembrance can be traced back to the earliest times. A multitude of rules and behavioral norms were intended to alleviate the grief of the bereaved and satisfy society's ideas of decency. Depending on the degree of kinship, the times of mourning were meticulously defined, during which special clothing had to be worn. The mourning attire also included specially made jewellery, the forms and symbolic content of which changed over the centuries. In the last third of the 19th century, for example, mourning jewelry was closely oriented to other jewelry fashions and interpreted them in dark materials, as the Victorian lady was also supposed to be fashionably adorned during the mourning period. English mourning jewelry is one of the most touching treasures from the past - such as this particularly well-preserved ring from the Victorian era. Forged from high-carat gold, the ring is designed as a simple band. The ring shoulders show fine golden lines against a black enameled background, which rhythmically structure the ring. The round ring face has a glazed human hair inlay in its center, which is surrounded by a wreath of natural pearls. Pearls are often found on mourning jewelry as they symbolize shed tears. According to the hallmark on the rail, the ring was created in the goldsmiths of Saunders and Shepherd (see "Find out more") in London, and it also came to us from the British capital.

Learn more

Saunders and Shepherd is a traditional London jewelry company founded in 1869 by Cornelius Desormeaux Saunders Sr. and James Francis Hollings Shepherd in Holborn Circus. Originally specializing in mourning jewelry made from whitby-jet, the company soon expanded its range to include jewelry made from gold and silver. At the end of the 19th century, it became a licensee of the American company Krementz and invented the first self-closing bracelet. Under the management of Saunders' sons, the business expanded internationally with branches in India, Canada and Australia. After severe setbacks caused by the Great Depression and the Second World War, the company slowly rebuilt itself, exhibiting at the Festival of Britain in 1951 and moving to its current address in Hatton Garden in 1980. In 1981, Saunders and Shepherd produced a gold bracelet for Lady Diana Spencer, which she wore on her wedding day, and increasingly specialized in individual commissions.

Learn more

Size & Details

To the eternal memory

€ 1,190.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Our Promise

We want you to be 100% satisfied! For that reason, we examine, describe and photograph all of our jewellery with the utmost care.

You can rely on our years of experience in the trade and our expertise as a professional art historians for reviews of the antique jewellery. As a member of various trade organisations and the British Society of Jewellery Historians, we remain committed to the highest possible degree of accuracy. In our descriptions, we always also indicate any signs of age and defects and never hide them in our photos – this saves you from any unpleasant surprises when your package arrives.

Should you for some reason not be satisfied, please don’t hesitate to contact us so that we can find a solution together. In any case, you can return any article within one month and we will refund the full purchase price.

Learn more

To the eternal memory

Rings

Privacy settings