{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O123303"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O123303/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2020MT5449/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2020MT5449/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2020MT5449","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2020MT5448","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2020MT5450","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O123303/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O123303","accessionNumber":"1125-1864","objectType":"Ring","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"The bezel of this ring holds a picture of an urn made out of hair, chopped and arranged in strands. It commemorates Gabriel Brooke, who died on the 12 April, 1781. He was a member of a prominent Yorkshire family based around Brayton. He was born around 1710 and married Theodosia Pockley (born 1715) in the church at Brayton on 15 November 1736. They had nine  children: Humphrey,Theodosia, Faith, Samuel, Mary, Richard, Frances, Elizabeth and Mary.Their eldest son Humphrey later changed his name to Osbaldeston in order to inherit Gateforth House and the associated estate. Their daughter Mary married Rev. Richard Robson who subsequently changed his name to Brooke. Theodosia died in 1753 and Gabriel survived her by almost thirty years. \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.\n\nThis ring was part of the Brooke collection which was donated to the V&A in 1864. The Brooke collection includes objects relating to the Brooke family along with the Osbaldestons, who were closely related.\r\nMuseum papers record that: “The Reverend R. Brooke, Gateforth House, Selby, presented, in February 1864, a collection of articles of personal use of the 17th and 18th centuries, being the accumulated memorials of an English family for three or four generations; the most important are watches, rings, seals, lace and court dresses; the total number of objects is 396.” The gift also included 718 books for the new National Art Library (Eighteenth Report of the Science and Art Department of the Committee of Council on Education, London, 1865, pp.40-41).\r\nThe minutes also stipulate “That Mr and Mrs Brooke, and the future possessors of the ‘Gateforth Estate’, provided they bear the name and are of the present family of ‘Brooke’, to have the privilege secured to them (by memorandum recorded in the Books of the Museum, and by possession of a Free Pass Ticket) of entrance into the Museum and Library and the Horticultural Gardens attached, on the holding of any scientific or other meetings, and on all other public occasions.’ \r\n\r\n","physicalDescription":"Gold mourning ring with an oval bezel with an urn of plaited hair and gold. Inscribed behind <i>Gabriel Brooke Esqr. Ob. 12 Apr. 1781. Aet.71.</i>","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"Gold","id":"AAT11021"},{"text":"Hair","id":"AAT11814"}],"techniques":[{"text":"engraving","id":"AAT53829"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Engraved gold with worked hair","categories":[{"text":"Jewellery","id":"THES48930"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Death","id":"THES48970"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2020MT5449","2020MT5448","2020MT5450"],"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":"Given by the Rev. R. Brooke","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"2.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"1.9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"2.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Inscribed <i>Gabriel Brooke Esqr. Ob. 12 Apr. 1781. Aet.71.</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":"behind;"},{"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":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Gold mourning ring with an oval bezel with an urn of plaited hair and gold. Inscribed behind <i>Gabriel Brooke Esqr. Ob. 12 Apr. 1781. Aet.71.</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, cat. 839\r\n"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"Vase, Urn","id":"x31506"}],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"death","id":"x30761"},{"text":"mourning","id":"AAT238450"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["1125-1864"],"accessionNumberNum":"1125","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1864,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LU7963"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-08","recordCreationDate":"2006-04-25","availableToBook":true}}