Georgian Urn Mourning Ring Dated 1766 18k Gold

Two names, fourteen years apart, carried on one ring. Margaret Baker died on the 8th of January 1780, aged 56. W. Baker had gone before her, on the 20th of January 1766, at just 36. When Margaret's mourning ring was made, someone made sure he was remembered with her.

The oval face holds a hand-painted sepia miniature under crystal: a woman leaning toward a funerary urn, the classic Neoclassical image of grief. Around the shoulders runs a band of black enamel lettered in gold with Margaret's inscription. Turn the ring over and the back of the bezel is engraved for W. Baker, a second remembrance that rested against the wearer's skin.

Why black enamel matters. In Georgian mourning jewelry, the color of the enamel told you who was lost. White marked a child or someone who died unmarried. Black marked an adult who had married. Two adults, two dates, one ring: the most likely reading is a husband and wife, brought back together in gold by the people who loved them.

What the ring says about the family. Mourning rings were commissioned by the family, often provided for in a will, and given to those closest to the deceased. The more elaborate the ring, the more affluent the family. This one is 18k gold, with a painted miniature and two separate inscriptions. It was made by a family of means who wanted both names kept, and kept together.

Era: Georgian, dated 1780, commemorating deaths in 1766 and 1780
Materials: 18k yellow gold, black enamel, sepia miniature under crystal
Markings: "MARG:T, BAKER OB 8 JAN 1780 AE 56", in the black enamel band; "W. Baker OB:20 Jan 1766 AE 36", engraved on the reverse of the bezel
Special Feature: Two commemorations in one ring
Dimensions: 15.1 x 13.1 mm at the face; band is 3 mm
Weight: 3.8 grams
Ring Size: US 7 
Condition: Original, with noticeable wear to the miniature beneath the crystal

See it in person at 3 Water Street in Historic Downtown Mystic, or write to hello@petrastar.com for more photos or a video.