Lot 189 , A Tudor bronze 'decade' ring, England, circa 1500

A Tudor bronze 'decade' ring, England, circa 1500, centring on a panel engraved with the letter S, to a band divided into ten segments, size M, accompanied by a catalogue card inscribed 'Dunwich 1858' and 'Spalding's Sale 1872'

Provenance: Formerly in the collection of Dame Joan Evans (1893-1977)
By repute, found at Dunwich, Suffolk, in 1858

Decade rings are named for the ten notches of their bands. Used similarly to a rosary as an aid to prayer, a 'Hail Mary' (Ave Maria) prayer is said for each of the ten notches, and then an 'Our Father' (Paternoster) prayer is said for the main panel. The present panel is engraved with the letter 'S', possibly signifying the name of the bearer, or having a religious connotation, standing for 'servus', or 'Servant of Christ'. A similar ring is illustrated in Charles Oman, 'British Rings 800-1914', London, 1974, cat no. 72D, which references a 'similar ring from Dunwich...in the Evans Collection' in its footnote, and another (possibly the same ring) is in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, accession no. 775-1871.
£50-70

Condition:
Condition consistent with age. Some traces of original gilding remain.