The message on this 18k yellow gold ring: 'In Memoriam Matris Carissimae' or 'In Memory of a Beloved Mother' was 'cut up' and evenly distributed
along the ascending band, in negative space by black enamel in a sans-serif typeface, creating a staggeringly modern-looking design.
The back of the ring shank has a little hidden compartment, which is currently empty but originally likely contained a piece of hairwork or another personal memento.
In the 19th Century, wearing mourning jewellery was a very common practice. Queen Victoria, who often created fashion trends, made mourning jewellery especially 'fashionable' when she plunged herself into deep mourning after the sudden death of her husband Prince Albert in 1861.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Size: US 8, UK P 1/2, circumference 57 mm.
The setting measures 16 x 11 x 15 mm.
This ring cannot be sized.
Weight: 7.95 grams.
Age: Late 19th Century, also known as the Victorian era, circa 1860s.
Hallmarks: The inside of the shank carries a Dutch hallmark for 18k gold, and the hallmark 'C52', used by the Dutch jeweler Cornelis Balthus Herman Canté, who operated in Amsterdam between 1852 and 1870.
Condition: In antique condition with signs of wear, consistent with its age. The black enamel was damaged in places and therefore has been partially restored.
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