Ring

1768

Not on view

This ring, decorated with a winged skull, is a type variously known as a funeral, memorial, or burial ring. Marked by the Boston silversmith and engraver Nathaniel Hurd, it served as a memento for family and/or friends of the deceased, a prominent Bostonian named Abigail Waldo, daughter of the Honorable Samuel Welles (or Wells) and wife of the merchant John Waldo. The engraving on its interior, "A Waldo Ob=3 June 1768 Aet 38," indicates Abigail Waldo died on June 3, 1768 at the age of 38. Today gold bands are typically associated with marriage; however, in the eighteenth century, gold rings often were created to honor and remember a deceased loved one.

Artwork Details

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Provenance

Title: Ring
Maker: Nathaniel Hurd (American, Boston, Massachusetts 1729/30–1777 Boston, Massachusetts)
Date: 1768
Geography: Made in Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Culture: American
Medium: Gold
Dimensions: Diam. 11/16 in. (1.7 cm)
Credit Line: Purchase, Friends of the American Wing Fund, 2024
Object Number: 2024.220
Curatorial Department: The American Wing

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