Queen Mary (Mary of Teck) Gold Ring

About the Item

An exquisite 18k gold ring gifted by Queen Mary to a member of the royal household in 1885 Queen Mary (1867-1953), also known as Mary of Teck, was the wife of King George V, who reigned in the United Kingdom from 1910 to 1936. Queen Mary was the grandmother of Elizabeth II, and mentored her during the present Queen’s formative years. Mary was also the great grandmother of Prince Charles, who called her “Gan Gan,” a name today affectionally used by the current Prince George for the Queen. Mary married the then Prince George in 1893, her second cousin once removed. She had initially been engaged to his elder brother, Prince Albert, prior to Albert’s death from influenza in 1892. (Queen Victoria had long been an admirer of the young Mary). Known as an occasionally stern yet often kind and humorous woman, Mary was born into the minor royal Teck family, and grew up in the UK. In 1885, aged just 18, Queen Mary gifted the 18k gold ring to a member of the royal household. Inscribed on the inner: “From HRH Princess Mary Xmas 1885”. The hallmarks on the inner ring reveal it was likely made by renowned silver and goldsmith Samuel Whitford in London in 1879. Superb provenance: consigned to us by the recipient’s great grandson. The recipient accompanied the Tecks on several royal overseas tours. The Teck family traditionally presented Christmas presents of this magnitude to their senior domestic staff. Jewellery from the British royal family rarely appears at auction. As such, this is a rare opportunity to own an intimate piece of the royal story. Weight: 7.4 grams, giving an approximate gold value of £250. 2.5 cm in diameter. Very good condition for its age.

Dimensions:

Height: 0.4 in (1 cm)Diameter: 0.99 in (2.5 cm)

Materials and Techniques:

Gold

Period:

19th Century

Date of Manufacture:

1885

Condition:

Seller Location:

Jersey, GB

Reference Number: