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Description: | A copper alloy Late Medieval to post medieval signet finger ring dating from AD 1300 - 1700, probably from AD 1300 - 1400. Only the bezel and upper part of the hoop survives. The bezel is circular and is deeply engraved with an angular lombardic letter "G" with a crown above it. The G has not been reversed on the matrix, so the impression would have been back-to-front. The initial and crown are withing a plain recessed line border. The bezel is integral but position on the outer face of the hoop, and the letter is not at right angles to the hoop, but is slightly askew. The hook has recessed, concave shoulders which are bevelled, and the reverse of the hoop behind the bezel is also bevelled in four places, leaving a lozenge shaped area in the centre. The rest of the hoop is missing. The ring is 18.9mm long, 11.7mm wide and 10.3mm thick. The bezel is 12.3mm wide (along the plain of the hoop) and 11.8mm across (at 90 degrees to the hoop). 2.89g.Oman writes (1974, British Rings, 800 - 1914, on page 30): "The most typical fourteenth century signet is of silver or bronze and has the bezel engraved with the owner's initial often with a crown above... The silver examples are tidily executed but those of brass or bronze are crude." Later he notes that signet rings fell out of use by the 18th century when fob seals replaced them. Compare NMS-34F516 which is also a letter G. WMID-CB4045 and NMS-216257 are also of similar style.
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/ | Go to resource |
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