Possible Victorian Ring?

by Patricia
(Edmonton, Alberta, Canada)

Hi. I was wondering if you could possibly tell me a bit more, if anything, about a ring I actually found in a garbage dumpster (in a bag of what looked like junk drawer contents which had fallen off the overflowing dumpster – I also found an ivory pendant of a mother and baby dolphin).

The ring is 9k gold with 3 small rubies running diagonal to the wedding band. On the inside of the band engraved by hand is ‘1880.’ I believe the jeweler’s stamp on the inside is ‘RSF.’

- Patricia

Hello Patricia,

If the ring is from the 1880’s, it would be a piece from the late Mid-Victorian Period. During this time, 9k gold was in use and rubies were frequently used for gemstone decorations in Victorian jewelry. The RSF stamp on the inside of the ring could have been a jeweler or maker’s mark. A hallmark jewelry stamp book could yield further clues on this stamp.

The value of the ring could range widely depending on whether the ring is actually a real Mid-Victorian ring or a reproduction. Although the ring is hand engraved with ‘1880’ on the inside, it does not necessary mean that the ring is actually from this time. Sadly, antique reproductions are sometimes marked with false engraved dates on the inside to fool potential buyers.

The quality of the rubies would also have a huge impact on the value of the ring – although it is possible that the stones in this ring may be cut glass or garnet stones which resemble rubies (both cut glass and garnet were widely used in Victorian jewelry pieces).

I would recommend locating a certified jewelry appraiser in your area to have the ring officially appraised so you can be sure of its value.

Hope this info helps, and do contact us again if you have any further questions!

Suzanne Gardner
Everything Wedding Rings