Georgian mourning ring in 15ct gold with plaited hair under domed glass and black enamel border, c.18th century.
Close-up of antique gold mourning ring showing enamel shoulders and inscribed name “F.M. Tatton 1777” on shank.
18th-century mourning ring with hairwork and enamel in 15ct gold, commemorating F.M. Tatton born in 1777.

Georgian Mourning Ring for Frances Maria Tatton | 15ct Gold, Enamel & Hairwork | 1777

POA

This Georgian mourning ring is extraordinary, both for the quality of its craftsmanship and the powerful sense of history it carries.

Crafted in rich 15ct gold, it features an oval compartment of meticulously plaited hair beneath domed glass, framed by a delicate border of black enamel.

On each shoulder, fine enamel tracery continues the sense of reverence and elegance.

The side of the shank is inscribed with the name “F.M. Tatton” and the date “9 JAN 1777,” a direct reference to Frances Maria Tatton (née Fountayne), who died that year aged 26.

As the first wife of William Tatton Egerton - a descendant of King Henry VII - she was part of one of Cheshire’s most prominent families.

This connection to the Tattons of Wythenshawe Hall and Tatton Park deepens the historical and emotional resonance of the ring, transforming it from a beautiful object into a personal relic of British gentry mourning culture.

This is not only a beautiful object, it’s a fragment of a life once deeply loved and remembered.

Ring size G 1/2

Available exclusively at ELTONS, Grays Antique Market, Mayfair, London.