Victorian 'Love, Hope & Faith' Ring with Hidden Compartment, circa 1850s

This 19th Century ring depicts the well-known symbols for Love, symbolized by a heart, Hope by an anchor, and Faith by a cross, in black enamel. The panel at the front has a hidden lid, which can be opened to reveal a hidden, partially enameled compartment. 

'Love, Hope and Faith' is a motto that was used frequently in antique jewellery, especially in the 19th Century. Its origin can be found in the Bible, where the disciple Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:13: “Three things will last forever: faith, hope, and love - and the greatest of these is love."

Rings with a hidden compartment are often sold in the trade as 'poison rings', however, it is highly unlikely that this ring was used to poison a rival! Instead, these rings were relatively common in Victorian jewellery as a method of holding a memento, often a string of hair or piece of cloth, of a loved one close. 

Faded hallmark at the back which cannot be read anymore
Acid tested as 14k gold

US size 8, can be resized

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