{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O121029"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O121029/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HM0363/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HM0363/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2015HM0363","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HM0364","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HM0365","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KA6949","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O121029/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O121029","accessionNumber":"771-1871","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. The bezel of this ring is engraved with a crowned letter 'I', probably the initial of the ring's owner. \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":"Silver signet ring with an octagonal bezel engraved with a crowned <i>I</i> flanked by two branches","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[{"text":"engraving","id":"AAT53829"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Engraved silver","categories":[{"text":"Jewellery","id":"THES48930"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2015HM0363","2015HM0364","2015HM0365","2017KA6949"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"013","id":"THES407875"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"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":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"1.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"inscribed with a crowned <i>I</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":""}],"objectHistory":"Given to Edmund Waterton by Major Darell of Cole Hill, ex Waterton Collection","historicalContext":"Possibly a religious confraternity ring","briefDescription":"Silver signet ring with an octagonal bezel engraved with a crowned <i>I</i> flanked by two branches, England, 15th century","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Waterton, Edmund <u>Dactyliotheca Watertoniana: a descriptive catalogue of the finger-rings in the collection of Mrs Waterton,</u> (manuscript, 1866,  now in National Art Library)"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"'British Guiana 2426 (Walton Hall)', Legacies of British Slave-ownership database, http://web.archive.org/web/20221205150942/http://wwwdepts-live.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/claim/view/7157"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Oman, Charles, <u>Catalogue of rings in the Victoria and Albert Museum</u>, London, 1930, reprinted Ipswich, 1993, cat."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"branches (tree)","id":"x39097"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["771-1871"],"accessionNumberNum":"771","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1871,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LW7203"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-06-07","recordCreationDate":"2006-02-14","availableToBook":true}}