Featured Age/origins Victorian ruby ring

Hi. I just bought this. Victorian era circa 1860? The ring has this hallmark (makers mark?) The letter "P". I searched, and searched, and searched, but couldn't find an exact match. Of course wear and my untrained eye may be seeing it differently. What does this 'p' indicate? The year it was made? Or who/where it was made. On an aside, Bergen was used in the description. Any significance to this? Thank you for any info that can be supplied.

 

It would be a date letter. Given the wear to the marks, I can see it as possibly a lower case a, rather than a P. With nothing much left except the shape of the cartouches, this is a challenge. Welcome, BTW. Are you in Britain?

 

Thank you. No. I'm in the US. The jeweler stated it as a 'p'. Depending on how I look at it, I see a d or a p. ‍♂️. I can see a lower case a now. lol

 

can't help you but I like the ring and welcome to antiquers!

 

So. Now I'm sorely disillusioned. I bought this ring based on my misguided assumption that rings from 100 plus years ago would be unique. Not mass produced as they are today. If I buy a ring at Box Store Jewelers, every other hand in America will have an identical ring. I just did an image search and easily found six jewelers in England selling thus, or very, very similar rings. Dating from 1850ish to the early 1900s. smh I was hoping I bough a unique piece for my fiancé. Not something "common". Can anyone offer info to make me feel better Thanks for the replies so far.

 

Every thing can be made even using dies made over 100 years ago.See link for just one maker.... https://hugokohl.com/

 

Not about you. Is a "unique piece" important to your fiancée? (Note the correct spelling for a woman engaged to be married. A man engaged to be married is a fiancé.)

Debora

 

Thanks for the spelling correction. The uniqueness is my request. She's special and deserves something that speaks to that. We're 60ish and I want to do this for her.

 

If you wanted something unique,design it yourself or go through a company which does custom work,example.... https://www.custommade.com/custom-rings/

 

Failing that, take her hunting in a good antique store. Crazy stuff shows up there, and if nothing else you can get some ideas.

 

You're 60ish, the ring is 60ish, that's something. Does she especially like rubies, or is it her birthstone (July), or are you planning to marry in July?

The sentiment behind it seems more important to me than the ring itself. Look what you just said in a public forum for all the world to see.

 

does she love you?
my wife would have accepted a rubber band with a blue glass marble glued to it......

it's a lovely ring....but it means nothing without the feelings to go with it !

don't overthink it,,,,,,, you chose well !!

if u absolutely need a one off...do what Holly suggests...

 

Looking at the detail, I doubt this ring to be antique, but that's not a problem.
I'm not sure if this particular ring can be resized or not with that half moon setting?
My best suggestion: be sure it is her size before you buy it.

 

What is a half moon setting?

 

Bless you, aren't you lovely.

Mass production, if you can call it that, has been around in the UK for centuries. Settings like this were made in the gold quarter in Birmingham, then jewellers chose the stones to be used.

I'm disagreeing with davey on the date. The London 1959 is too slanted back and the cartouche shape is wrong, although those can vary. This looks like Birmingham 1902 to me, with the d tail bent over. That would explain the amount of wear and a Birmingham maker is probably more likely.

 

The d is wrong though: I'm looking at both Jacksons and Bradbury, and it's italic.

 

I have a victorian blister pearl ring and there are at least two others online with same wire design but different stone shape. Since ring settings are often cast, the jeweler could make more than one identical.

 

Exactly - the settings were factory made.