Tag: Memento Mori

Bones and Rings

Connecting the body to death and the physical elements of the body that are relevant to display within the context of death are very specific to the Protestant and Catholic schism. Since Martin Luther proposed a discussion in his Ninety-Five Thesis, or the “Disputation of Martin Luther on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences” on… Continue reading Bones and Rings

The Importance of Memento Mori & Jewellery

Memento mori, or ‘remember you will die’ is an important personal value to identity in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. As the mourning industry grew into a sustainable industry in its own right, the message only grew as it was imprinted upon fashionable accessories and artefacts that people wore. The skull and the crossbones… Continue reading The Importance of Memento Mori & Jewellery

Auction: The Memento Mori and Mourning Jewelry Collection of Irvin and Anita Schorsch

The Memento Mori and Mourning Jewelry Collection of Irvin and Anita Schorsch, auctioned November 15, 2017

It is with great pleasure to announce the auction of Irvin and Anita Schorsch’s mourning jewels in Freeman’s auction house in Philadelphia. You can bid online for this magnificent collection and the imagery alone is enough reason to view the collection: Link > View Catalogue, Freemans Auctions in Mourning Jewels Freeman’s is delighted to offer the… Continue reading Auction: The Memento Mori and Mourning Jewelry Collection of Irvin and Anita Schorsch

Skeletal Memento Mori Ring

Mourning-ring; enamelled gold, the hoop enamelled white, in the form of two skeletons supporting a coffin-shaped bezel with moveable lid fastened with a pin and ornamented with a Maltese cross once enamelled red, on a black ground with hearts reserved in the metal, an enamelled cinquefoil at one end. Inside the coffin is a tiny white-enamelled skeleton. At the back of the bezel ares two clasped hands.

Mourning jewellery and devotional jewellery represent the same ideals. Piety and love come from an undying fidelity that allows a person who want to show off their devotion. Based on personal belief, the message of love as an actual value can equate to the expense, opulence and design of a jewel. While love is not… Continue reading Skeletal Memento Mori Ring