The Ornamented Being
Ornamented: -verb: Adorn; beautify. Be·ing: -noun: Fulfillment of possibilities; essential completeness.
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I’m sure someone will reblog this and be negative about it but I don’t really care. My mother is a strong woman and I am proud to take after her. She raised me to be very independent and it’s one of the reasons I was able to say farewell to my home and move to London alone. I have always known that if I was ever trapped in a tower I wouldn’t need a prince to rescue me, I can save myself.
That said I hope that one day I will find a man who will say something like what is inscribed on this ring. Who knows maybe I will find him and maybe I won’t. I’m only 23, I have time.
Gold ‘posy’ ring
England, 18th century AD
British Museum
‘Many are the stars I see but in my eye no star like thee’
The term ‘posy’, based on the French ‘poésy’, describes the amatory verse or rhyming motto with which the rings are engraved. Here the inscription reads: ‘Many are thee starrs I see yet in my eye no starr like thee’.
The practice of giving gold hoop rings engraved with mottoes at betrothals or weddings was common in England from the sixteenth century onwards, and continued until the late eighteenth century. ‘Posy’ rings could, however, be given on many other occasions as tokens of friendship or loyalty, and ‘posies’ are also found on religious and memorial rings. The inscription is generally found on the interior of the ring, hidden to everyone except the wearer. Most of the sentimental mottoes were taken from popular literature of the time, such as ‘chapbooks’ (pamphlets), or from collections on the language of courtship. A few customers would supply their own composition for the goldsmith to engrave.
The outside of the hoop was often decorated to enhance the message or to form part of the message itself. Coloured enamels could be used, or chased motifs, like the sixteen stars on this example. The inscriptions were usually enamelled in black, which makes them easier to read, although very few survive with all their enamel. The language and the style of the inscription helps us to date them.
S. Bury, An introduction to sentimental (London, Victoria and Albert Museum, 1985)
C. Oman, British rings 800-1914 (London, Batsford, 1974)
O.M. Dalton, Catalogue of the finger rings, (London, British Museum, 1912)
J. Evans, English posies and posy rings (Oxford University Press, 1931)
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Three-colour gold tiara with swags of leaves and flowers surmounted by a row of large flowers formed by clusters of turquoises surrounded by cannetille work with a small diamond in the centre. It has been converted from a frontlet ornament of c.1805 and a French import mark and French design registry mark are on the loop at each end.
British Museum
c. 1805
First French Empire
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A modern take on an ancient idea.
But at a price. For only $3,500 this can be yours! Click me!
“This magnificent poison ring features a large central topaz stone that can be unlocked with a key to reveal a tiny secret compartment. The whole ring is covered in decorative engravings, and on each of the fours claws holding the topaz there are tiny bezel set blue sapphires (we can alternate the sapphires for diamonds if you wish, just let us know in the notes to seller section). It has been entirely hand made (including the locking mechanisms). The dimensions of the locking box are approx 12mm wide x 12mm deep x 18mm from the top of the topaz to the bottom of the box. The key to open it is approx 23mm long, and comes on a 50cm chain to be worn around the neck.”
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“Parure, consisting of a necklace with a pendant, a bracelet and a pair of ear-rings. Enamelled and chased-gold links uniting sixteen enamelled miniatures, fourteen inscribed on the reverse with the identities of the figures portrayed.
The inscriptions on the backs of these enamelled miniatures identify the portraits as following: on the necklace from left to right, Mme de Parabere (mistress of the Regent, the duc d’Orléans), Princess de Lamballe (Marie Antoinette’s closest friend;), Mme Elizabeth (sister of Louis XVI), Henriette d’Angleterre (sister of Charles 11 of England, wife of the Dauphin, Philippe d’Orléans), Mme Dubarry (mistress of Louis XV from 1769); Marie Antoinette (Queen of France) on the pendant.. The back of the miniature on the clasp is covered but the portrait appears to be that of Mme de Pompadour, mistress of Louis XV for twenty years (1744 - 64). On the bracelet, from left to right the portraits are of Mlle de Lavaliere (presumably Louise de la Valiere, mistress of Louis XIV), Marie Antoinette, Marquise de Sévigné (mistress of Louis XIV), Mme de Montespan (also a mistress of Louis X1V). The inscription on the clasp is again covered, but the sitter may be Madame de Maintenon, last mistress of Louis XIV, whom he married in 1685. The earrings have Mme Elizabeth, the Princess de Lamballe, and Marie Antoinette twice; the upper miniature on the right shows her as Archduchesse d’Autriche, before she married Louis XVI.”
