Queen Anne, the last of the Stuart monarchs, reigned from 1702 until her death at age 49 in 1714. Yorgos Lanthimos' film The Favourite centers on her life, with Olivia Colman portraying the queen. Anne endured the heartbreaking loss of 17 children through miscarriages, stillbirths, and infant deaths—her longest-surviving child, William, died at age 11. She likely suffered from lupus, an autoimmune disease known since ancient Rome but not fully understood until much later.
This ring, crafted during the early years of Queen Anne's reign, is made of silver—a rare material for this type of jewel. Beneath a cut rock crystal is a cipher, and inside is a poesy-style inscription. The "V" in "Love" is cleverly shaped like a heart.
MATERIALS: silver, rock crystal, gold thread cipher
AGE: c. 1700
CONDITION: Very good
SIZE: 7, resizing not recommended; 6.2mm head, 3.3mm shank