{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O121013"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O121013/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BL8671/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BL8671/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2007BL8671","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BL8672","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KA6946","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O121013/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O121013","accessionNumber":"717-1871","objectType":"Signet 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. They were made of gold, silver or bronze, depending on the means of the  owner and continued to be widely used until the 18th century when they were largely replaced by fob-seals, worn on the watch chain. \n\nThe silver bezel of the ring is engraved with a star and crescent moon inside a shield shape, the initials PP can be seen above it. This was probably the coat of arms of the family of Pietroch who originated in Pomerania (now in modern Germany and Poland). The initials PP are likely to be those of a member of the family. The hoop is made of horn set with a copper band. Horn, especially the ass's hoof, was believed to protect against epilepsy.\n\nThis ring forms part of a collection of 760 rings and engraved gems from the  collection of Edmund Waterton (1830-87).  Waterton  was one of the foremost ring collectors of the nineteenth century and  was the author of several articles on rings, a  book on English  devotion to the Virgin Mary and an unfinished catalogue of his  collection (the manuscript is now the National  Art Library). Waterton  was noted for his extravagance and financial troubles  caused him to place his collection in pawn with the  London jeweller Robert  Phillips. When he was unable to repay the loan,  Phillips offered to sell the collection to the Museum and  it was acquired in 1871. A  small group of rings which Waterton had  held back were acquired in 1899. ","physicalDescription":"Horn signet ring with a circular silver bezel engraved with the arms of Pietrorch beneath the initials 'PP'. The hoop is mounted with copper wire.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"horn","id":"AAT11826"},{"text":"silver","id":"AAT11029"},{"text":"copper","id":"AAT11020"}],"techniques":[{"text":"engraving (incising)","id":"AAT53829"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Horn with engraved silver and copper wire","categories":[{"text":"Jewellery","id":"THES48930"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Amulets","id":"THES48995"},{"text":"Europeana Fashion Project","id":"THES265804"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2007BL8671","2007BL8672","2017KA6946"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"91 (VA)","id":"THES49703"},"free":"","case":"9","shelf":"B","box":"25"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Ring","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Germany","id":"x28873"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1500-1600","earliest":"1500-01-01","latest":"1600-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"3.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"3.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Pietrorch coat of arms beneath the initials 'PP'","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 on the bezel."}],"objectHistory":"ex Waterton Collection","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Horn signet ring with a circular silver bezel engraved with the arms of Pietrorch beneath the initials 'PP', the hoop mounted with copper wire, made in Germany, 1500-1600.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Bury, Shirley, <u>Jewellery Gallery Summary Catalogue </u> (Victoria and Albert Museum, 1982), 33/F/18"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Oman, Charles, <u>Catalogue of rings in the Victoria and Albert Museum</u>, London, 1930, reprinted Ipswich, 1993, p. 116, cat. 771"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"escutcheons (coats of arms)","id":"AAT138227"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["717-1871"],"accessionNumberNum":"717","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1871,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2017KD9564","2019LP1905","2019LT1337","2019LU1747"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-08","recordCreationDate":"2006-02-13","availableToBook":false}}