Victorian Significance of Rings?

[Grubaugh]

Is there any particular meaning behind someone wearing a ring on the little finger?
Thanks
Josh

[Elaine Kessinger]

Re: Victorian Significance of Rings?

"The Language of the Finger Ring
If a gentleman wants a wife, he wears a ring on the first finger of his left hand.
If he is engaged, he wears it on the second finger.
If married, he wears it on the third finger.
If he never intends to get married, he wears it on the fourth finger.
When a lady is not engaged, she wears whoop [sic] or diamond on her first finger.
If engaged, whe wears it upon the second finger.
If married, she wears it upon the third finger.
If she intends to remain a maid, she wears her ring upon her fourth finger.
Thus, by a few simple tokens, the passion of love is expressed."

The Arts Revealed (1853)

[Virginia Mescher]

Re: Victorian Significance of Rings?

[QUOTE=Grubaugh;108567]Is there any particular meaning behind someone wearing a ring on the little finger?
Thanks

I found the following which gives the history of rings from a 1850s point of view and wearing rings on the little finger is mentioned. There is probably more information than you wanted but I didn't know where to cut it.

Godey's March 1856
FINGER-RINGS.


"FROM the chapter on “rings of love, affection, and friendship,” we make the following extracts:**

One of the prettiest tokens of friendship and affection is what is termed a Gimmal or mow Ring. It is of French origin. This ring is constructed, as the name imports, of twin or double hoops, which play within one another, like the links of a chain. Each hoop has one of its sides flat and the other convex; and each is twisted once round and surmounted with an emblem or motto. The course of the twist in each hoop is made to correspond with that of its counterpart, so that, on bringing together the flat surfaces of the hoops, they immediately unite in one ring.

This form of the ring is connected with the purest and highest acts of friendship; it became a simple love-token; and was, at length, converted into the more serious sponsalium annulus, or ring of affiance.

The lover putting his finger through one of the hoops, and his mistress hers through the other, were thus symbolically yoked together; a yoke which neither could be said wholly to wear, one-half being allotted to the other; and making, as it has been quaintly said, a joint tenancy.

Dryden describes a gimmal ring in his play of Don Sebastian:-

A curious artist wrought 'em**

'With joints so close as not to be perceived;
Yet are they both each other's counterparts!
(Her part had Juan inscribed; and his had Laydor;
You know those names were theirs; and in the midst
A heart divided in two-halfs was placed.
Now if the rivets of those rings, inclosed,
Fit not each other, I have forged this lie;
But if they join, you must for ever part.'

Gimmal rings, though originally double, were, by a further refinement, made triple and even more complicated; yet the name remained unchanged.

Herrick, in his 'Hesperides,' has the following lines:**

'THE JIMMAL RING OR TRUE-LOVE KNOT.

'Thou sent'st to me a true-love knot; but I
Return'd a ring of jimmals, to imply
Thy love had one knot, mine a triple-tye.'

A singular silver gimmal ring was found in Dorset, England; the legend Ave Maria is partly inscribed on each moiety, and legible only when they are united.

'A beautiful enamelled ring of this kind, which belonged to Sir Thomas Gresham, is extant. It opens horizontally, thus forming two rings, which are, nevertheless, linked together and respectively inscribed on the inner side with a Scripture posy: QUOD. DEVS. CONJVNXIT (what God did join) is engraved on one half, and HOMO NON SEPARET (let no man separate) on the other. The ring is beautifully enamalled. One of the portions is set with a diamond, and the other with a ruby; and corresponding with them, in a cavity inside the ring, are or rather were within the last twenty years two minute figures or genii. The workmanship is admirable and probably Italian.

The reader who may be curious to know more about the gimmal ring, and the probable derivation of the word Gimmal, is referred to a learned and interesting article by Robert Smith, Esq., in the 'London Archaeologia,' vol. xii. p. 7.

It is possible that Shakspeare was thinking of gimmal rings, some of which had engraven on them a hand with a heart in it, when (in the Tempest) he makes Ferdinand say to Miranda, 'Here's my hand,' and she answers 'And mine, with my heart in it.'

Coupled with the love of youth for maiden, we have one of the most simple and perfect of old English sonnets (by Davison):**

'PURE AND ENDLESS.'

'If you would know the love which you I bear,
Compare it to the ring which your fair hand
Shall make MORE precious, when you shall it wear;
So my love's nature you shall understand.
Is it of metal pure? So endless is my love,
Unless you it destroy with your disdain.
Doth it the purer grow the more 'tis tried?
So doth my love; yet herein they dissent:
Tint whereas gold, the more 'tis purified,
By growing less, doth show some part is spent;
My love doth grow more pure by your more trying,
And yet increaseth in the purifying.'

As far back as the fifteenth century, a lover wore his ring on the last or little finger.

It is said that Pope Innocent the Third was the first who ordained the celebration of marriage in the church; before which, it was totally a civil contract; hence arose dispensations, licenses, faculties, and other remnants of papal benefit. Shelford observes it came with the Council of Trent. The Council sat within the Bishopric of Trent, Germany, from the year 1545 to 1563.

But the ring was used in connection with marriage before Catholic times. The Greeks had it. We find from Juvenal that the Romans employed the ring. There was commonly a feast on the signing of the marriage contract; and the man gave the woman a ring (annulus pronubus) by way of a pledge, which she put upon her left hand, on the finger next the least: because of the suggested nerve running to the heart. The ring was generally of iron, though sometimes of copper and brass, with little knobs in the form of a key, to represent that the wife had possession of the husband's keys. Roman keys attached to a ring for the finger are not uncommon. The ring is at right angles to the axle, and, therefore, it could only be used for a lock which required very little strength to turn it, or as a latch-key. It may be a question, whether these were not rings used on marriages?

Maffel gives a gem, upon which are engraved only the two Greek words AOANACI HICTIC, in English, Faith immortal, which he considers as intended to be set in a betrothal ring- in some one of those rings which lovers gave to their beloved, with protestations of eternal constancy, as a tacit promise of matrimony. Some Roman nuptial rings had inscriptions, as Ama me; Amo te; Bonam vitam, etc. Among other rings found at Pompeii were some which are considered to have been wedding-rings. One, of gold, picked up in Diomed's house, had a device representing a man and woman joining hands. Another was a double gold ring, in which two small green stones were set.

There is no evidence that the ring was used by the Egyptians at a marriage.

On the authority of a text in Exodus, wedding-rings are attempted to be carried as far back as the Hebrews. Leo of Modena, however, maintains that they did not use any nuptial ring. Selden owns that they gave a ring in marriage, but that it was only in lieu of a piece of money of the same value which had before been presented. It probably was ring-money or money in the shape of a ring (of which we have before spoken).

The common use of the ring in different countries, when betrothment or marriage takes place, is remarkable.

In Esthonia, a province of the Russian empire, where the girls consider marriage the one great object to be coveted, attained and prepared for from the earliest dawn of their susceptibilities, they spin and weave at their outfit, frequently for ten years before their helpmate is forthcoming: this outfit extends to a whole wardrobe full of kerchiefs, gloves, stockings, etc. When they have formed an acquaintance to their liking, the occasion having been usually of their own creating, they look forward with impatience to the moment of the proposal being made. But there is one season only, the period of the new moon, when an offer can be tendered; nor is any time so much preferred for a marriage as the period of the full moon. The plenipos in the business of an offer are generally a couple of the suitor's friends or else his parents, who enter the maid's homestead with mead and brandy in their hands. On their approach the gentle maiden conceals herself, warning having been given her in due form by some ancient dame; the plenipos never make a direct announcement of the purpose of their mission, but in most cases tell the girl's parents some story about a lamb or an ewe which has got astray and they desire to bring home again. The parents immediately invite them to drink, vowing that they know nothing of the stray creature; if they decline to drink with them, it is a sign either that they have no inclination for the match, or that their daughter has whispered them 'her heart has no room for the youth in question.' But if all are if one mind, the parents set merrily to work on the mead and brandy, and give the suitor's envoys free license to hunt out the stray lambkin. When caught, she is also expected to taste of the cup; and from that moment the bridegroom becomes at liberty to visit his bride. He makes his appearance, therefore, a few days afterwards, bringing presents of all kinds with him, together with a ring, which he places on the maiden's finger as his betrothed.

The Copts have a custom of betrothing girls at six or seven years of age, which is done by putting a ring upon their finger; but permission is afterwards obtained for her friends to educate her until she arrives at years of discretion.

In Persia, a ring is among the usual marriage presents on the part of the bridegroom.

It is said that in Spain every girl who has attained the age of twelve may compel a young man to marry her, provided he has reached his fourteenth year, and she can prove, for instance, that he has promised her his hand and given her to understand that he wished her to become his wife. These proofs are adduced before an ecclesiastical vicar. A present of a ring is considered sufficient proof to enable the girl to claim her husband. If the vicar pronounces the marriage ought to take place, the youth, who has been previously sent to prison, cannot be liberated until after the celebration.

Dr. Clark, in his 'Travels in Russia,' describes the marriage, at Ackmetchef, of Professor Pallas's daughter with an Hungarian General according to the rites of the Greek Church. After ascertaining as to ties of blood between them and voluntary consent, a Bible and crucifix were placed before them, and large lighted wax tapers, decorated with ribbons, put into their hands.

After certain prayers had been read, and the ring put upon the bride's finger, the floor was covered by a piece of scarlet satin, and a table was placed before them with the communion vessels. The priest having tied their hands together with bands of the same colored satin, and placed a chaplet of flowers upon their heads, administered the sacrament, and afterwards led them, thus bound together, three times round the communion table, followed by the bride's father and the bridesmaids. During this ceremony, the choristers chanted a hymn; and after it was concluded, a scene of general kissing took place among all present, etc.

Marriage-rings, in the olden time, were not, as now, plain in form and without words. Some had a seal part for impression. A ring of this kind was ploughed up in the year 1783 on Flodden Field. It was of gold, and an inscription upon it ran thus: 'Where are the constant lovers who can keep themselves from evil speakers?' This would have been a relic for Abbotsford; but Dryburgh Abbey has the wizard; and a stranger is in his halls.

A Roman bronze ring has been discovered of singular shape and fine workmanship, which appears to have been intended as a token of love or affection.

“The parts nearest the collet are flat and resemble a triangle from which the summit has been cut. Its greatest singularity is an intaglio ploughed out of the material itself, representing the head of a young person. The two triangular portions which start from the table of the ring are filled with ornaments, also engraved hollow. Upon it is the word VIVAS, or Mayest thou Live.”

The following is the author's modest and graceful conclusion:**

Here the author closes his 'Dactylotheca,' or casket of rings.

“Metaphorically speaking, he fears it has been discovered that he does not wear a ring of power; and that no talismanic ring is in his possession. And it may be that some constrained position in which the writer has kept his readers will allow them to desire the use of cramp rings for relief. If so, he would willingly 'creep to cross' to succor them: provided the ending of this essay did not answer that purpose.

One thing the author will hope; aria it is this: that his readers and he have fashioned the interesting token of friendship, a gimmal ring; and if it be so, then they will pass from this work with the idea that they have one part of such ring, while the writer may proudly hold to the other, until some future essay shall bring author and friends and the twin hoops of the qimmal together again. With such a token upon his hand, he can waive a farewell.”