Jewish Marriage Rings
Jewish marriage-rings throughout early history, were known for both intricacy and ornamentation. Traditionally, these were made of gold, a metal that does not tarnish. It is said this tradition ensures the marriage will be lasting and beautiful.
The band would have been placed on the right hand of the index finger at some point during the ceremony. Today it still is, except many new brides choose to later wear it on the left or right ring finger.
The Waddesdon Bequest
This Jewish marriage-ring is part of the Waddesdon Bequest, consisting of medieval and Renaissance pieces, left to the British Museum, in London, England, by Baron Ferdinand Rothchild, in 1898. Historians initially agreed that this ring was crafted during the 16th century, yet today place its creation between 1700-1898. There is speculation as to where it was made and Venice, Germany or Eastern Europe were suggested as possibilities.
The Details
This ring is exceptionally beautiful. The borders along both the top and bottom are made of twisted golden cables. There are five protruding, round bosses of filigree or delicate wire. The term filagree comes from the word “filum” meaning thread and “granum” meaning grain or small beads.
Each boss is highly decorated with a six petaled flower in the center. The enamel flowers are either a combination of green or white individual petals, or of pure, pale blue. Several small golden berry clusters, made from small granulations of gold are in the middle of each. Four petalled, smaller, blue blooms also add beauty.
Between the bosses there is more enamel ornamentation in darker green and blue. Each has a pale blue rosette in the center from which loops rise, indicating that the ring could have later been worn on a chain, as a pendant. With the elaborate nature of the ring, it probably was not worn on the finger every day.
On the bezel section of the ring, where gemstones on many other types of rings are set, there is a gable, with a hinged roof. Marriage was considered a transaction between a man and a woman. The gift of a gold ring was measured in its monetary value by being weighed. Adding gemstones was not acceptable as it added to the weight and interfered with determining the value of the gold. This ring weighs in at 32.2 grams. It is 4.8 centimeters wide, 2.1 centimeters high, and 3.9 centimeters deep.
Other Examples
The British Museum has two other examples of rings with a hinged gable. One has the words “mazel tov” in Hebrew, which means good luck. This indicates this style of ring was created for a Jewish family. It is believed the building represents a couple’s new home together.
This ring in our highlighted example is unique in that it has two windows, which can be opened. The hinged gable can be lifted to reveal a tiny compartment beneath it. To create the look of roof top tiles the artist used more enamel interspersed in colors of blue, white, and green.
No one knows quite when the hinged gable roof style came into fashion.
Crafted in Eastern Europe
Some Historians believe rings such as this one had origins in Eastern European regions, such as Transylvania or the Eastern Mediterranean. This is because of the techniques and combination of filigree, with brightly colored and opaque enamels.
Many pieces, using this combined technique in jewelry making, yet are non-Jewish in character, can be found at the National Museum in Budapest. These are Transylvanian in origin and date to the 17th and 18th centuries. Examples show boldly colored enamels, with twisted filagree and granulations.
Two similar rings have appeared in publication. One is in a private collection1 and one at the Metropolitan Museum of Art2. Both are attributed to Italian Renaissance jewelry, yet there is no documentation to support either. There is no evidence that jewelry in this style was created in Western Europe. Renaissance Venice has been suggested because of its own resident business colony in Constantinople.
The National Museum of Bucharest houses a large waist-clasp or buckle, that has been identified as 18th century Transylvanian. Although it is non-Jewish in nature, it too combines filigree, granulation, and enamel work. Six petalled floral motifs and green enamel work, make it similar in design to the Jewish marriage-ring3.
A Historical Look at Jewish Marriage Rings
The history of Jewish marriage-rings has not been well documented. There are examples however that date back to the Middle Ages.
The Duke of Bavaria owned a golden ring that was documented and inventoried in 1598. Historians have dated it to the 15th century.
The ring houses a miniature Gothic style building representing the Holy Temple set high on the bezel and measuring 4.3 centimeters. It contains the Hebrew inscription “mazal tov”.
Jewish marriage-rings are a tradition that has carried on through the Middle Ages. They represent the union of the couple in celebrational style that has enabled artists to create very elaborate miniature works of golden art.
- Illustrated in Hackenbroch 1979, p. 52, fig. 112.
- G. C. Williamson, ‘Catalogue of the Collection of Jewels and Precious Works of Art, The Property of J. Pierpont Morgan’, London, 1910, no. 20, and Yvonne Hackenbroch, ‘Renaissance Jewellery’, Sotheby Parke Bernet Publications, London, New York and Munich, 1979, p. 50, fig. 105)
- Sandor Mihalik, ‘Old Hungarian Enamels’, Budapest, 1961, pp. 28-32, pls 42, 43 and 45.
Bibliographic references
Tait 1986 / Catalogue of the Waddesdon Bequest in the British Museum; I The Jewels (51)
Shirley and Thornton 2017 / A Rothschild Renaissance: A New Look at the Waddesdon Bequest in the British Museum (p.53, fig.67)