{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O121947"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O121947/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BL8506/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BL8506/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2007BL8506","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BL8507","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KA7053","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O121947/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O121947","accessionNumber":"640-1871","objectType":"Ring","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Medieval goldsmiths rarely attempted to cut gemstones, instead adapting the setting of the ring to suit the shape of the stone, such as the semi-circular setting provided for this  crescent shaped garnet. Gemstones were highly valued in the medieval world, sapphires, rubies, garnets, amethysts and rock crystal being the most commonly used. Diamonds were highly valued but much less common. \n\r\nRings were worn in great numbers at all levels of society, although gold and garnets would have been restricted to the wealthy. In the English Act of 1363, an attempt was made to limit the wearing of gold and silver rings to richer noblemen, although we cannot know how effective these laws were.\n\nThis ring forms part of a collection of over 600 rings and engraved gems from the collection of Edmund Waterton (1830-81). 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":"Gold ring, the semicircular bezel set with a cabochon garnet.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"gold","id":"AAT11021"},{"text":"garnet","id":"AAT11097"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Gold set with a cabochon garnet","categories":[{"text":"Jewellery","id":"THES48930"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Europeana Fashion Project","id":"THES265804"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2007BL8506","2007BL8507","2017KA7053"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"91 (VA)","id":"THES49703"},"free":"","case":"5","shelf":"C","box":"1"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Ring","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Europe","id":"x28842"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"west"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1200-1400","earliest":"1200-01-01","latest":"1400-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"2.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"1.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Unmarked","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":"Formerly in the Waterton Collection","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Gold ring, the semicircular bezel set with a garnet, West Europe, 13th or 14th century","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Oman, Charles, <u>Catalogue of rings in the Victoria and Albert Museum</u>, London, 1930, reprinted Ipswich, 1993, cat. 256, p.67"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Oman, Charles, <u>British Rings:800-1914</u>, London, 1974, colour plate 2"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["640-1871"],"accessionNumberNum":"640","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1871,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2017KD6332","2019LN4869","2019LT2877","2019LU0800"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-08","recordCreationDate":"2006-03-14","availableToBook":false}}