FINGER RING

A complete gold finger ring (posy) of post-medieval date (c.1600-1650).

Description: The ring is circular in plan and D-shaped in cross-section. The exterior is decorated with nine domed, hollow pellets or bosses set in a row around the centre of the hoop each framed with corded wires. At the top and bottom edges of the band applied in the spaces between each of the bosses, are smaller domed, hollow pellets. The flat interior surface of the ring bears the inscription, 'loue is the bonde of peace' in lower case italic lettering. Some of the letters, including the 's', 't', 'c' and 'e', have elongated serifs or 'tails'. 

Measurements: diameter: 19.6mm; width: 7.7mm; thickness: 1.7mm; weight: 3.42g

Discussion: Posy (or posie) rings were a popular form of finger-ring from the 16th to 18th centuries, most often in gold though silver and gilt-silver examples are known. Lettering and inscriptions can be used to try and narrow the dating of a ring. Those with block capitals being earlier and the lettering becoming lower case and more cursive and italic over the course of the 17th century and into the 18th. 

The inscription 'love is the bond of peace' can be seen on DUR-5DCDA8 which was date c.AD1751-85. The spelling on this example however, uses the modern spelling of 'bond', so it is therefore plausible that the example recorded here is of an earlier date. A second example of this phrase used on a posy ring can be seen at NMS-572348 dated c.1650-1700. This also uses the modern spelling 'bond' which suggests a date for the ring recorded here prior to 1650 based on the spelling 'bonde'. 

The form of the ring is similar to one in The British Museum's collections (1942,0708.1) dated 17th century, though this is of much cruder manufacture than the example recorded here. 

Those of this form recorded on the database include: BERK-118101; NMS-2C9E06 and LIN-B6F8A3; dated c.1600-1700 and NMS-B8BCC4 dated c.1550-1700. 

A date of 1600-1650 is therefore suggested for the example recorded here based on the form, lettering and spelling in the inscription.