{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O107879"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O107879/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BM5717/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BM5717/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2007BM5717","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BM5718","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006BA1368","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O107879/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O107879","accessionNumber":"M.20-2004","objectType":"Ring","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This ring is in the shape of a garter, one of the insignia of the Order of the Garter. It is inscribed with the motto of the Order: <font -i>Honi soit qui mal y pense</font>. Garter rings form a very small and as yet, not fully understood group. The earliest ring of this type known dates from 1626 but other examples date from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. \r\n\r\nThe Order of the Garter was founded by Edward III in 1348 and is the oldest order of chivalry in Europe. The insignia of the Order have developed over the centuries: starting with a garter and badge depicting St George and the Dragon. A collar was added in the sixteenth century, and the star and broad riband in the seventeenth century. However, rings were not included in the formal insignia. \r\n\r\nElias Ashmole, the seventeenth century antiquary, suggested that the rings were distributed to the friends and relatives of newly inaugurated knights whilst a nineteenth century historian believes them to be gifts to commemorate a deceased Garter King of Arms. A ring in Winchester Cathedral which is in the shape of a dark blue enamel Garter with a diamond set in the bezel seems to have been made as a mourning gift. The inside of the hoop is inscribed 'Memorarere Novissima' (Remember the last things) with the initials LA and a skull. This may have been one of the 20 rings bequeathed by Lancelot Andrewes, bishop of Winchester (died 1626) and a member of the Order of the Garter. His will states that 'I bequeath the sum of three hundred pounds to be bestowed in Rings of gold upon such of my good friends as I am bound in thankfulness to remember, the names I will set in a list to my will annexed.' ","physicalDescription":"Band in the form of a wavy rococo garter set with a buckle. Enamelled in royal blue with a feathered gold border, the inscription in reserve in gold reading HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"Gold","id":"AAT11021"},{"text":"Enamel","id":"AAT14910"}],"techniques":[{"text":"Enamelling","id":"x37485"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Enamelled gold","categories":[{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Jewellery","id":"THES48930"},{"text":"Europeana Fashion Project","id":"THES265804"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2007BM5717","2007BM5718","2006BA1368"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"91 (VA)","id":"THES49703"},"free":"","case":"12","shelf":"B","box":"15"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Ring","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"probably"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1750-1800","earliest":"1750-01-01","latest":"1800-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Edward Donohoe","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"2.10","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"0.80","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Unknown","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"Garter rings form a small and as yet, not fully understood group. Only seven rings are currently known of, five of which were published by Edward Donohoe in 1990. Their original function and significance are not yet known: certain rings appear to have a mourning function whilst at least one other is an early eighteenth century Jacobite ring. Elias Ashmole refers to their use in the seventeenth century and suggests that they may have been given to friends and relations by newly installed Knights. In 1842, Sir Nicholas Harris described the contemporary use of the rings as mourning rings for the friends of a deceased Garter King at Arms. However, no corroborating evidence regarding their use has yet been found in the portraits or papers of Garter knights or in any wills or inventories.\n\nA similar ring with a blue enamel hoop and emerald and diamond cluster buckle, inscribed 'Honi soit qui mal y pense' was sold by Christie's, 4 October 1989, lot 368 and again 5 October, 1994, lot. 20.","briefDescription":"Gold and blue enamel ring in the form of a garter. English, 1750-1800.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Donohoe, Edward,  'Garter Rings', <font -i>Jewellery Studies, Vol.4 1990, pp 84-6</font>"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Begent, Peter and Chesshyre, Hubert, <font -i>The most noble order of the garter: 650 years</font>, Spink, London 1999"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Ashmole, Elias, <font -i>The institution, laws and ceremonies of the most noble order of the Garter</font>, London 1672, 208"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Nicolas, Sir Nicholas Harris, <font -i>History of the orders of knighthood of the British Empire</font>, London 1842, 388"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"garter","id":"AAT210559"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["M.20-2004"],"accessionNumberNum":"20","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":2004,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LP9517","2019LT2192","2019LW7809","2021MV1741"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-08","recordCreationDate":"2004-12-15","availableToBook":false}}