{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O118915"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O118915/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BM1018/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BM1018/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2007BM1018","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BM1026","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O118915/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O118915","accessionNumber":"M.272-1962","objectType":"Ring","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Signet rings, engraved with a coat of arms, owner's initial or the mark used by a merchant to identify his goods are one of the most common types of surviving medieval and Renaissance rings. The engraved bezel of the ring was pressed into sealing   wax and this was then fixed onto a letter or deed. This ring is engraved with an ownership mark, often called a merchant's mark, a geometric sign, frequently based on the number 4 or on a variation of a cross, which was used as a proprietary mark.  Merchant’s marks were a key part of commercial and social life - they were used to seal deeds as a legal signature and when   marking bales of goods, to settle disputes over ownership when those goods had gone astray through theft, shipwreck or piracy. Prosperous merchants also had their marks set in their houses, windows and on their gravestones or included them in their personal portraits. \n\nThe merchant's mark is surmounted by a tiny skull and encircled by the inscription 'Ricordati il tuo finn'. This inscription is reminiscent of the 'Memento mori' or 'Behold the end' inscriptions commonly found on rings and is a exhortation to the wearer to remember the brevity of worldly life and the necessity to prepare the soul for eternal life. The phrase 'In tutti il tuoi affari ricordati del tuo fine e tu non peccherai giammai' can be found in the Italian translation of the Bible by Giovanni Diodati (1641), Ecclesiastes, ch.VII, v.38. ","physicalDescription":"Gold ring, the octagonal bezel engraved with a shield with two notches and a merchant's mark with C & R attached, a skull above and the inscription 'RICORDATI. IL. TUO. FINN.', maker's mark 'MF' conjoined in a shield","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"gold","id":"AAT11021"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Engraved gold","categories":[{"text":"Jewellery","id":"THES48930"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Europeana Fashion Project","id":"THES265804"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2007BM1018","2007BM1026"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"91 (VA)","id":"THES49703"},"free":"","case":"9","shelf":"A","box":"16"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Ring","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Italy","id":"x28927"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"possibly"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1600-50","earliest":"1600-01-01","latest":"1650-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Dame Joan Evans","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"2.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"2.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"1.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"marked with C & R attached","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Merchant's mark"},{"content":"inscribed 'RICORDATI. IL. TUO. FINN.'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"It has been suggested that the inscription is a literary conceit"},{"content":"marked 'MF' conjoined in a shield","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Maker's mark"}],"objectHistory":"Acquired by Dame Joan Evans in London in 1932","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Gold ring, the octagonal bezel engraved with a shield with two notches and a merchant's mark with C & R attached, a skull above and the inscription 'RICORDATI. IL. TUO. FINN.' (Remember the end). Possibly Italy, 1600-50.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"shields (motifs)","id":"AAT230284"},{"text":"skull (skeleton component)","id":"AAT191856"}],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"Memento mori","id":"x34926"},{"text":"commerce","id":"x39960"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["M.272-1962"],"accessionNumberNum":"272","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1962,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LW3176"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-08","recordCreationDate":"2005-11-23","availableToBook":false}}