{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O119077"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O119077/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BL8629/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BL8629/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2007BL8629","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BL8631","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BL8630","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O119077/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O119077","accessionNumber":"M.269-1962","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\r\nThis ring combines the functions of a signet and a memorial ring. The bezel of the ring is engraved with a coat of arms under a winged cherub. The back of the bezel has been inscribed 'Memoria sacra' (sacred to the memory) over the initials AL and a skull. ","physicalDescription":"Gold signet ring, the bezel engraved with a coat of arms and inscribed behind <i>Memoriae/ Sacrum</i> with a skull between 'A' and 'L' in black enamel. The arms: on a fesse between two leopards' heads in chief and a scallop shell in base, three roses. ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"gold","id":"AAT11021"},{"text":"enamel","id":"AAT14910"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Enamelled and engraved gold","categories":[{"text":"Jewellery","id":"THES48930"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Europeana Fashion Project","id":"THES265804"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2007BL8629","2007BL8631","2007BL8630"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"91 (VA)","id":"THES49703"},"free":"","case":"9","shelf":"B","box":"18"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"signet ring","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1660-1700","earliest":"1660-01-01","latest":"1700-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Dame Joan Evans","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"2","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":"engraved with a 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":""},{"content":"inscribed <i>Memoriae/ Sacrum</i> with a skull between 'A' and 'L' in black enamel","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"behind"}],"objectHistory":"Ex Court Collection. Shown at the Birmingham Heraldic Exhibition, 1936, cat. 523","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Gold signet ring, the bezel engraved with a coat of arms and inscribed behind <i>Memoriae/ Sacrum</i> with a skull between 'A' and 'L' in black enamel, England, 1660-1700.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"Evans, Joan Dame","id":"C4535"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"escutcheons (coats of arms)","id":"AAT138227"},{"text":"skull (skeleton component)","id":"AAT191856"}],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"death","id":"x30761"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["M.269-1962"],"accessionNumberNum":"269","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1962,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LW2175"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-08","recordCreationDate":"2005-11-25","availableToBook":false}}