{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O118971"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O118971/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BL8660/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BL8660/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2007BL8660","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BL8661","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O118971/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O118971","accessionNumber":"M.271-1962","objectType":"Signet ring","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This ring would have been used as a signet, pressed into hot wax to seal a letter or packet.  Personal seals (secreta) provided an essential legal safeguard and were used to witness documents such as wills, deeds of gift, loans and commercial documents,  personal letters and land indentures. \r\n\r\nSignet rings could be engraved with a coat of arms or crest, an initial, a merchant's mark (a geometric symbol used to mark goods or personal belongings), or a personal symbol.  Sixteenth and seventeenth century portraits show signet rings worn on the forefinger or thumb, presumably to make it easy to apply the ring to the wax by turning the hand. They were items of jewellery with a practical function but the use of precious metals and engraved hardstones indicates that they were also signs of status.\r\n\nThe cornelian on the bezel of this ring is engraved with the arms of the Rushe family, whilst the inside of the ring has been inscribed with two memorial inscriptions in Latin recording the deaths of IR on September 13th, (16?) 52, aged 63 and TS who died September (16?)75, aged 61. ","physicalDescription":"Gold signet ring with an oval bezel, with a scalloped edge, set with a cornelian intaglio. The intaglio with the arms of Rushe (?), engraved behind with a skull and inscribed <i>'I/ R/ Obijt Sep. t/ 13th .52. etat.63'</i>","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"gold","id":"AAT11021"},{"text":"carnelian","id":"AAT133223"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Engraved gold set with a carnelian intaglio","categories":[{"text":"Jewellery","id":"THES48930"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Europeana Fashion Project","id":"THES265804"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2007BL8660","2007BL8661"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"91 (VA)","id":"THES49703"},"free":"","case":"9","shelf":"B","box":"5"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Ring","id":"AAT46012"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1652","earliest":"1647-01-01","latest":"1656-12-31"},"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":"1.9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"1.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"inscribed <i>'I/ R/ Obijt Sep. t/ 13th .52. etat.63'</i>","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Engraved behind"},{"content":"coat of arms","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"The intaglio; the arms of Rushe (?), Co. Essex"}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Gold signet ring set with a carnelian intaglio engraved with the arms of Rushe (?). Engraved behind with a skull and inscribed <i>'I/ R/ Obijt Sep. t/ 13th .52. etat.63'</i>, England, ca.1652.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"Evans, Joan Dame","id":"C4535"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"intaglios","id":"AAT47216"},{"text":"skull (skeleton component)","id":"AAT191856"},{"text":"scalloping","id":"AAT165381"},{"text":"escutcheons (coats of arms)","id":"AAT138227"}],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"death","id":"x30761"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["M.271-1962"],"accessionNumberNum":"271","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1962,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LP3204","2019LT1834","2019LV8570"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-08","recordCreationDate":"2005-11-23","availableToBook":false}}