{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O118955"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O118955/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EM3196/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EM3196/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2010EM3196","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2010EM3195","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BM1012","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BM1010","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O118955/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O118955","accessionNumber":"M.203-1975","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 letters R and S found either side of the merchant's mark are probably the initials of the owner. ","physicalDescription":"Gold ring, the octagonal bezel engraved with a cruciform merchant's mark between R and S, with a corded border","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"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":["2010EM3196","2010EM3195","2007BM1012","2007BM1010"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"91","id":"THES49703"},"free":"","case":"6","shelf":"A","box":"4"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Ring","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"15th century","earliest":"1400-01-01","latest":"1500-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Dame Joan Evans","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"2.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"1.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"cruciform mark between R and S","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"}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Gold ring, the octagonal bezel engraved with a cruciform merchant's mark between R and S, with a corded border, England, 15th century","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Church, Rachel, <u>Rings</u>, London, V&A Publishing, 2011"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["M.203-1975"],"accessionNumberNum":"203","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1975,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LW2680"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-08","recordCreationDate":"2005-11-23","availableToBook":false}}