17th century gold posy ring

17th century gold posy ring

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Reference

8284

Chunky and heavy 17th century gold posy ring made of a very high grade of gold. The exterior is a wide, plain band with a slightly curved shape. The contemporary inscription on the inside of the ring is very clear and reads:- As god decreed so we agreed.



This type of wide and heavy posy ring is very much sought after. The posy ring was the most common type of love ring in use since the Middle Ages. The name posy was derived from the amatory inscription which this type of ring bears which was usually in rhyme or poesy. These rings were widely used in the Middle Ages (but are now hard to find). They were often worn on the outside of a glove and so were easily lost when the glove was removed. They were usually given by both men and women as an expression of regard, friendship, attachment or even love and reached their peak of popularity in the 16th and 17th centuries. By the mid 17th and the 18th centuries, most posy rings were used as wedding rings. The posies on medieval rings were usually inscribed on the outside of the hoop (which was flat). In later times, they were usually inscribed inside and the hoop was more rounded.



Circa 1650



Size :- English size S 1/2. US size 9 1/2. 0.7 inches (1.8cm) internal diameter x 0.25 inches (0.6cm) wide

Year

c 1650

Medium

Gold

Country

England

Signed

As god decreed so we agreed.

Condition

Very good condition considering its age. The contemporary 17th century script inside the ring is good and clear

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