Jewellery, Watches and Objects of Vertu

An 18th century gold MEMENTO MORI skull ring, of D-shaped cross section, the exterior engraved with a skull (depicted by eye sockets, naval sockets and line of teeth below), the inner band with maker’s mark ‘I E’ and engraved ‘E I obt Aye 9th 1744 AEge 36’ (sic), (all enamel lost), ring size approximately S (band slightly oval). £400-£600

The 17th century was a time of high mortality and this precipitated a taste for Memento Mori jewellery. The phrase translates as ‘remember you must die’. The constant reminder that one will sooner or later die and face a final judgement, was an encouragement to live a virtuous life. The Rev. Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667) preached “It is a great art to die well and to be learned by men in health... Place your coffin in your own eye, dig your own grave.”
This Memento Mori jewellery was decorated with images of skulls, skeletons, death heads, grave diggers tools and hour glasses. By the late 17th century, these had merged with the trend for memorial jewels, commemorating the death of an individual, the design simplified into a gold band with a skull motif to the exterior and the initials and date of death of the deceased inscribed to the interior.