Jewelry with clear Jewish provenance is rare and thrilling to find. In this case, the parents memorialized in this ring were part of a Jewish family, as their death dates are recorded according to the Hebrew calendar. The inscription reads "Father 20 days in Sivan 5570" (which is Friday June 22, 1810) and "Mother 15 Days in Shebat 5572" (Wednesday January 20, 1812). The outside of the ring shows no overtly Jewish symbols; the black enamel and "IN MEMORY OF PARENTS" follow standard English mourning jewelry conventions, and the hallmarks are for London 1817.
By the 1810s, Many Jews Jewish people in England were urban, often working in trade, commerce, and finance, with a strong concentration in London. Civil rights were limited, and social acceptance was uneven. All over Europe and the UK (and throughout the world) Jewish people had assimilated into their local cultures, often keeping their faith private or hidden for various reasons. Here, the child or children of the deceased parents clearly had some financial success; the ring is 18k gold and finely made. But they concealed their religious beliefs inside, close to the skin, invisible to outsiders.
thedetails
- Materials
18k gold (marked), black enamel
- Age
London assay marks for 1817
- Condition
Good - noticeable loss to the enamel in several places along the hoop
- Size
8, cannot be resized; 9mm shank
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Aboutthe
GeorgianEra
1714 — 1837
As imperialist war raged in the Americas, Caribbean, Australia, and beyond, the jewelry industry benefited: colored gems from all over the empire became newly available. A mix of artistic influences from around Europe contributed to the feminine, glittering jewels of the era. Dense, ornate Baroque motifs from Italy showed up in Georgian jewelry, as did French Rococo’s undulating flora and fauna. Neoclassical style made use of Greek and Roman motifs, which were newly popular due to the recently uncovered ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Lapidary methods improved: the dome-shaped rose cut was popular, as was the “old mine cut,” a very early iteration of today’s round brilliant cut.
The boat-shaped marquise diamond cut was developed around this time, supposedly to imitate the smile of Louis XV’s mistress, the marquise de Pompadour. Paste — an imitation gemstone made from leaded glass — was newly developed in the 18th century, and set into jewelry with the same creativity and care as its more precious counterparts. Real and imitation gems were almost always set in closed-backed settings, lined on the underside with thin sheets of foil to enhance the color of the stone and highlight it's sparkle. This makes Georgian rings tough for modern women to wear, especially on an everyday basis: genteel, jewelry-owning ladies of the 18th century were not famous for working with their hands like we are. Nor did they wash their hands as much as we do. Water will virtually ruin a foiled setting, so take special care with your Georgian ring. Very little jewelry from this period is still in circulation, and it's very difficult to repair.
please note:Terms of Sale
Antiques can be returned unworn and in original condition within 10 days of delivery for an exchange or refund minus the cost of shipping. Once a piece has been altered, including ring re-sizing, it is FINAL SALE.