Skip to main content
Go back

Rose gold signet ring, maternal inheritance of Maude Abbott (second image)

Colour photograph of a rose gold ring, inside left side. The ring is gold coloured and “Ann Smith” can be seen engraved on the shank (see photograph 4.1.3 for the continuation). The background of the photo is beige.

Maude Abbott inherited a rose gold signet ring from her mother dating from 1817. The bezel is inscribed “ROBT SMITH OB 15 JAN 1817 AET 69”. This commemorative signet ring provides specific information on the death of Robert Smith, Frances Mary’s father. Ob is an abbreviation of the Latin “obit”, meaning “he is dead”, and AET means “aged, or at the age of.” Thus he died on January 15, 1817 at the age of 69. Rose gold is an alloy composed of 75% gold, 5% silver and 20% copper.