{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O123385"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O123385/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BM4059/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BM4059/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2007BM4059","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BM4060","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AU5002","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O123385/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O123385","accessionNumber":"M.10-1973","objectType":"Mourning ring","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"From 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.\n\nThe person being commemorated by this ring is now unknown but the black enamel and panel of hair set in a funerary urn suggest that it was made to mark a death. The black anchors decorating the hoop may suggest that it relates to a sailor or could be interpreted as the Christian anchor of faith. ","physicalDescription":"Gold mourning ring, enamelled in black. The hoop cast with anchors, sea horses and an urn with plaited hair under a crystal. Inside an illegible inscription. London hallmarks for 1810-11.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"gold","id":"AAT11021"},{"text":"enamel","id":"AAT14910"},{"text":"hair","id":"AAT11814"},{"text":"glass","id":"AAT10797"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Enamelled cast and engraved gold with plaited hair under glass","categories":[{"text":"Jewellery","id":"THES48930"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Death","id":"THES48970"},{"text":"Europeana Fashion Project","id":"THES265804"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2007BM4059","2007BM4060","2006AU5002"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"91 (VA)","id":"THES49703"},"free":"","case":"23","shelf":"D","box":"7"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Ring","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1810-1811","earliest":"1810-01-01","latest":"1811-12-31"},"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":"1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"inscription","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"The hoop; illegible"},{"content":"hallmarks","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"London hallmarks for 1810-11"}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Gold mourning ring, enamelled in black. The hoop cast with anchors, sea horses and an urn with plaited hair under glass. Inside an illegible inscription, London hallmarks for 1810-1811.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"anchors (watercraft equipment)","id":"AAT219429"},{"text":"sea-horses","id":"x35269"},{"text":"urns","id":"AAT129425"}],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"Death","id":"x30761"},{"text":"mourning","id":"AAT238450"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["M.10-1973"],"accessionNumberNum":"10","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1973,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LR4547","2019LT2194","2019LT8311","2021MV0850"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-16","recordCreationDate":"2006-04-27","availableToBook":false}}