{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O121106"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O121106/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BL8582/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BL8582/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2007BL8582","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BL8583","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O121106/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O121106","accessionNumber":"795-1871","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.\n\nThe bezel of this ring is engraved with a dog on a leash lying under a tree and the letters IL. \r\n","physicalDescription":"Gold signet ring with a circular bezel engraved with a hound on a leash, couchant beneath a tree, and <i>IL</i> in lombardic characters","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"gold","id":"AAT11021"}],"techniques":[{"text":"engraving (incising)","id":"AAT53829"}],"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":["2007BL8582","2007BL8583"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"91 (VA)","id":"THES49703"},"free":"","case":"9","shelf":"A","box":"18"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Ring","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"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":"2.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"2.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"1.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"inscribed <i>IL</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":"in lombardic characters"}],"objectHistory":"ex Waterton Collectiuon","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Gold signet ring with a circular bezel engraved with a hound on a leash, couchant beneath a tree, and <i>IL</i> in lombardic characters, possibly  England, 1500-1600.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"trees","id":"AAT132410"},{"text":"dog (animal)","id":"x30186"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["795-1871"],"accessionNumberNum":"795","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1871,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2017KE1841","2019LP5377","2019LT3235","2019LW9334"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-08","recordCreationDate":"2006-02-15","availableToBook":false}}