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The Sabbatai Ring: M/P.1-1914

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An image of Ring
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Current Location: In storage

Titles

The Sabbatai Ring

Maker(s)

Designer: Ricketts, Charles de Sousy

Entities

Categories

Description

Gold, set with a cabochon star sapphire, the hollow interior containing a loose emerald. The shoulders of the ring are each pierced by four long tapering holes, and the bezel is in the form of a mosque with tower-like buttresses, four pierced doorways, each with a sloping roof and two arched windows above. The dome is formed by the cabochon star sapphire, and inside is a loose emerald. The doors were originally smeared with ambergris.

Notes

History note: Designed and commissioned by Charles Ricketts for Miss Bradley. Given to her by Ricketts on 5th February, 1904.

Legal notes

Bequeathed by Miss Katherine H. Bradley

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1914) by Bradley, Katherine H., Miss

Dating

20th Century, Early
Edwardian
Production date: AD 1904 : The wax model for the ring was completed on 8 January, 1904 and the ring was given to Miss Katherine Bradley (1846-1914) by Ricketts on 5 February 1904.

Note

Ricketts promised to make a ring for Miss Bradley in December 1903. The form was inspired by the story of Sabbatai Sebi (1626-76), a Jewish mystic, who having proclaimed himself Messiah in Jerusalem, was later converted to Islam. It represents the mosque of Omar, and was intended to appeal to the five senses. See Documentation, Scarisbrick, 1982.

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This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "The Sabbatai Ring" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/93551 Accessed: 2025-12-05 11:17:28

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/93551 |title=The Sabbatai Ring |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-05 11:17:28|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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