Robert Burns' courting ring

Description

Courting ring given by Robert Burns to Jean Armour. The couple were married in Mauchline parish church in 1788.

The ring features a landscape bezel set in a band made of twisted gold metal. The bezel is closed at the back.

The landscape is in the gold metal bezel. It is black on a white background and includes a house, a tree, a hill with a windmill on it and a bench. The artist has added birds in the sky, some shrubs and grass. It was probably painted in ink, possibly on ivory.

An inscription on the back of the bezel reads: Robt. Burns to Bonnie Jean 1786.

The ring is in a round, red leather, box with a silk lining and a small hook clasp.

There is a label in an envelope that describes the ring.

Additional description

The inside of the band measures 154 mm. The outside of the band measures 180 mm. The bezel measures 100 mm x 80 mm.

Biography or history

Robert Burns (1759-1796) was a Scottish poet and lyricist born in Alloway. He wrote hundreds of poems and songs in his lifetime, and is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland. Jean Armour (1765-1834) was known as the 'Belle of Mauchline'. She was the wife of Robert Burns and bore him nine children, only three of whom survived into adulthood.

Provenance

Acquired by Lord Brotherton from John MacGilvray & Son, watchmaker, jeweller and silversmith of Oban on 9th July 1928. The ring was gifted to the Brotherton Library by Dorothy Una Ratcliffe in 1959.

Access and usage

Access

This material is not subject to restrictions under Data Protection or other relevant legislation that might limit access. However, other protections, such as donor conditions or conservation considerations, may still apply where advised.