If you want to start the coming year with a big bold gesture, this large and lovely antique ring is just the accessory you need. Handcrafted in gold with a gleaming oval black onyx stone, this ring sits in its original green velvet box from Carl Mayer.
As is often typical of artisan antique jewelry, the metal does not carry an assay mark.
Born in Prussia, Carl Mayer opened a jewelry store in 1865 at 618 Congress Street in Austin. He died in 1916 and is buried at Austin's historic Oakwood Cemetery. Carl Mayer Jewelers was a fixture in Austin for many decades. In the book, Lady Bird Johnson; An Oral History, the former first lady reminisces about how she and Lyndon Johnson selected her engagement ring and wedding band at the Carl Mayer store.
It is possible, considering the age of the ring and its style, that it is a piece of Victorian mourning jewelry. During the Victorian period, strict rules regarding the etiquette of mourning the loss of a loved one were developed, partly influenced by Queen Victorian, who wore mourning for the rest of her life after the death of her beloved Prince Albert in 1861. The etiquette set wide variety of rules regarding behavior, including what one should wear and how long a person should properly mourn. Failure to comply would not only be seen as dishonoring the dead but also would reflect adversely on the violator's moral character. For example, a woman was expected to be in deep mourning for two years after her husband’s death, wearing only black garments and accessories. Mourning etiquette applied to jewelry as well. Victorian mourning jewelry used somber, dark-colored materials, such as jet, or, in this example, deep black onyx.
All posted items are for sale at Next-to-New, but things can sell quickly!
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