{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O123240"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O123240/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2020MT5440/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2020MT5440/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2020MT5440","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2020MT5439","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2020MT5441","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O123240/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O123240","accessionNumber":"906-1888","objectType":"Mourning ring","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This ring commemorates William Warrington, who died on 17 September 1794, at the age of 54. Many eighteenth century mourning rings are decorated in sepia or monochrome schemes but the mourning woman and urn on this ring have been painted in soft pastel colours.\n\nFrom the early seventeenth to the end of the nineteenth century, testators left money in their wills to have rings with commemorative inscriptions made and distributed to their friends and families. Simple bands enamelled with the name and life dates of the deceased were frequently made, sometimes set with a gemstone or a bezel set with a rock crystal covering a symbol such as a coffin or initials in gold wire.  In the later 18th century, rings followed neo-classical designs, their oval bezels often decorated with the same designs as funerary monuments such as urns, broken pillars and mourning figures. Hair from the deceased was incorporated into the designs or set in a compartment at the back of the ring to give each jewel a uniquely personal element. Black or white enamel were favoured though white enamel was often, though not universally used to commemorate children and unmarried adults. By the end of the 19th century, memorial ring designs were becoming more standardised. The hoops were often inscribed with phrases such as 'In memory' whilst a commemorative inscription could be added to the inside of the hoop.  The custom of giving rings as memorials gradually declined in the early 20th century, although the Goldsmiths Journal suggests that some were still being sold in the 1930s.","physicalDescription":"Gold mourning ring, the oval bezel with a painted miniature on ivory or bone of a woman seated by an urn on a pedestal inscribed <i>WW</I>. The woman and urn are placed under strands of weeping willow. The grass at the foreground of the image may be made of chopped hair. \r\n\r\nInscribed at the back of the bezel <i >Wm WARRINGTON OBT. 17 SEPTEMBER 1794 AET 54.</i>","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"gold","id":"AAT11021"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Gold with a miniature on ivory or bone","categories":[{"text":"Jewellery","id":"THES48930"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Death","id":"THES48970"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2020MT5440","2020MT5439","2020MT5441"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES407865"},"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":"late 18th century","earliest":"1750-01-01","latest":"1800-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"2.3","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":"3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":" <i>WW</I>. Inscribed at the back of the bezel <i >Wm WARRINGTON OBT. 17 SEPTEMBER 1794 AET 54.</i>","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"William Warrington, died 1794, aged 54","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Warrington died at Heckington, Lincolnshire"},{"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":"Part of a group of memorial and mourning jewels bought from Dr Marco Guastalla, acting on behalf of 'an English lady residing in Italy' (museum numbers 846-1888 to 989-1888)","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Gold mourning ring, the oval bezel with a miniature of a woman seated by an urn on a pedestal inscribed <i>WW</I>. Inscribed at the back of the bezel <i >Wm WARRINGTON OBT. 17 SEPTEMBER 1794 AET 54.</i>, England, late 18th 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\r\n"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"pedestals","id":"AAT1744"},{"text":"Vase, Urn","id":"x31506"},{"text":"women","id":"AAT25943"},{"text":"miniatures (paintings)","id":"AAT33936"}],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"death","id":"x30761"},{"text":"mourning","id":"AAT238450"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["906-1888"],"accessionNumberNum":"906","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1888,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LU6549"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-05-21","recordCreationDate":"2006-04-24","availableToBook":true}}