Early Victorian Woven Hair Fede Ring
An incredible antique Fede ring dating from the early Victorian period, circa 1840. The head is a gold Mani in Fede (or 'hands clasped in trust') motif which is, in itself, wonderful with blue-and-white enamelled Medieval style cuffs, but the band is the really remarkable part of this ring: it is made up entirely of intricately woven hair. By its very nature, early hairwork from this period is very rare, and we've never seen a ring fashioned like this one before with a full hairwork band. Whilst I'm usually very careful to avoid the wildly overused words "museum quality..." just look at this ring. It could easily find a home in the V&A's jewellery gallery.
The contemporary association of hairwork and mourning/death is a misconception; although, of course, many mourning or memorial pieces do indeed incorporate hairwork into their designs. But more often than not, in the 18th and 19th centuries, the exchange of locks of hair had a more sentimental - or romantic - flavour. A tangible part of your loved one that you can keep close... literally worn against this skin, in this case. The combination of the Fede motif and the hairwork strongly suggests that this ring was exchanged by sweethearts.
Named after an Italian phrase, Mani in Fede, or 'hands clasped in trust', Fede Rings have been associated with marriage and fidelity since Roman times ('dextrarum iunctio'). Also known as 'hand in hand' rings, they regained popularity in the 12th century, representing the handclasp which formed part of the marriage service - an intimate bond or connection between lovers - and were exchanged as betrothal rings well into the 19th century.
Era: Victorian, circa 1840
Ring size: N or 6.75 US. Not resizable.
Head: 18.5mm by 9.7mm
Marks: None, tested as 18ct gold
Condition: Great antique condition; enamel is pristine and hairwork remains near perfect.
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This includes a valuation for insurance purposes, item specifics, date, and origins (where applicable).
Gemstones are tested by an accredited gemmologist (Cert GA, Gemmological Association of Great Britain).
Shipping
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Tracked and insured with signature on delivery
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US Shipments
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[Last updated: 28th February 2026]
Resizing
Ring sizing is available on most rings
£55 flat fee
Resizing takes 7-14 days
Leave a note at checkout with your desired size
Note: sizing may remove some of the patina (although we take every care to reduce this where possible)
Layaway
25% deposit taken to secure the item. The remaining balance will be settled in 90 days. You can pay installments weekly, monthly, or the full balance at the end - whatever works.
Condition
We offer detailed and accurate condition reports on each listing. These pieces are antique, vintage, or pre-loved and often over 100 years old so they're going to have lived a life. A healthy patina and the odd scuff or scrape is quite normal... it's part of their charm! Everything we present has been checked over by our jeweller and should be good for wear for many years to come (unless otherwise stated) but please remember to treat them with appropriate care and consideration for their age.
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