Mourning Ring for Edward Thurlow, 1806

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Edward Thurlow, the 1st Baron Thurlow was born on the 9th of December, 1731 and passed away on the 12th of September 1806. Jewels, such as the one dedicated to Thurlow, are created at a certain level of quality that they transcend the typical style of the day and become the templates for what lower cost jewels aspire to. This ring is part of the Royal Collection UK and has been in the possession of the Royal Family. 

Thurlow was a political influencer, making his way to become Attorney General, opposing American independence in the 1770s. By 1778, he was admitted to the Privy Council and achieved  the title of Baron Thurlow, of Ashfield in the County of Suffolk. His latter political life involved becoming Lord Chancellor and had a strained relationship with Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger, which eventually led to his dismissal over his opposition of a bill to redeem the national debt. Thurlow was a friend of George III, which may show some insight into how the ring made it into the possession of the Royal Collection.

The design of the ring is important to analyse, as it offers an insight into contemporary jewels from the early 19th century. Its large, rectangular bezel, bordered by diamonds, makes a grand statement to the wealth and identity of the Thurlow; elevating it to a grand status at a time where gems were gaining popularity and the diamond was the most precious of all. The Baron coronet sits above the Gothic ’T’ letter, which is a very modern influence in the ring. The Gothic Revival period was still developing as a popular style, but it hadn’t yet made it into mainstream fashion. 

Its solid band is also an important element to its design, as gold was becoming a precious commodity, with much of the gold going to the Napoleonic War effort. Jewels of this time generally make the most of lesser gold, offering jewellers an opportunity to test new designs and embellish more with wire-worked gold to make the jewel look larger. In this ring, the solid band enforces the wealth and status aspect of Thurlow. Its vine design down the shoulders flanks the name and date of death is very similar to jewels produced from the c.1760 period, which was typical of bands on rings.  

Mary Viscount Andover mourning ring, 1803. Diamond, urn and enamel.

In the similar ring above, the design shows how Thurlow’s ring was interpreted into other jewels. The black enamel remains, but the diamonds are kept throughout the jewel and woven into the urn design. Note the shoulders of the ring and how they are open and not closed, such as the Thurlow ring. While of the highest quality, there is cautious use of gold and the wealth of this ring is clearly placed into the diamonds and their usage.

Black enamel rings are one of the most identifiable form of mourning jewels, being bold and dominant. There’s no question of sentimentality with a mourning ring; it is clearly made for its purpose. When the quality of a ring can be seen at the level of Thurlow’s, the insight that it shows helps the viewer identify its contemporary jewels in a genuine way. Mourning jewels, particularly for the clear dates of death, are excellent historical artefacts for historians and jewellery aficionados to use as a basis for study and insight. 

Courtesy: Royal Collection Trust

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