- Object name(s):
- Ring
- Brief description:
- Gilt bronze band ring with nine domed bosses, which are alternately plain and granulated, each separated from its neighbour by two small pellets. The outside rims of the band are grooved to imitate twisted wire. Because of the uneven number of domes two of the smooth ones are side by side. One of these is covered by a flat square plaque with a hinged cover, with a hinged prong to keep it closed.
- Collection:
- Victoria and Albert Museum
- Associated concept:
- Jewellery
- Associated concept:
- Metalwork
- Associated concept:
- Judaism
- Associated concept:
- Marriage
- Current reproduction location:
- https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BC2648/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg
- Location type:
- Thumbnail
- Inscription content:
- מזל טוב
- Inscription interpretation:
- Inscribed on the plaque and the inside of the cover.
- Inscription translation:
- Good fortune
- Inscription transliteration:
- Mazal Tov
- Material:
- gilt
- Object history note:
- ex Waterton Collection
- Object name:
- Ring
- Object number:
- 867-1871
- Object production date:
- 1700-1799
- Date - association:
- made
- Date - earliest / single:
- 1700-01-01
- Date - latest:
- 1799-12-31
- Object production person:
- unknown
- Object production place:
- germany
- Place association:
- made
- Physical description:
- Gilt bronze band ring with nine domed bosses, which are alternately plain and granulated, each separated from its neighbour by two small pellets. The outside rims of the band are grooved to imitate twisted wire. Because of the uneven number of domes two of the smooth ones are side by side. One of these is covered by a flat square plaque with a hinged cover, with a hinged prong to keep it closed.
- Reproduction number:
- 2006BC2648
- Reproduction number:
- 2017KA6941
- Responsible department/section:
- MET
- Technique:
- Gilded bronze
- Text reason:
- Collections online record
- Text:
- This ring was acquired by the Museum in 1871 as part of a large collection of rings which had been assembled by the Victorian scholar Edmund Waterton. It was described at that time as a 16th-century Jewish wedding ring from Germany. The description of Jewish marriage or betrothal ring is often applied to elaborate rings with Hebrew inscriptions. In the 19th century they were very popular with collectors and usually believed to be medieval or renaissance in date, although there are very few authenticated examples. These rings usually fall into a limited number of types. This example is not as flamboyant as many of the most popular designs, and may date from the 18th century. The hinged flap on the bezel, revealing the Hebrew words ‘mazal tov’ (good fortune), appears to have been added after the ring was made. Several other Jewish marriage rings show this characteristic.
- Text reason:
- Summary description
Persistent shareable link for this record: https://museumdata.uk/objects/ad7f6fc1-09f8-371a-bc95-60940bc7538b
Use licence for this record: CC BY-NC
Attribution for this record: https://museumdata.uk/objects/ad7f6fc1-09f8-371a-bc95-60940bc7538b, Victoria and Albert Museum, CC BY-NC
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