Jane Austen’s 200 Year-Old Ring Set For Auction
Wouldn’t it be nice to find out you happened to be the owner of a ring that once belonged to legendary author Jane Austen?
The ring is gold with a blue stone and had been passed down from generation to generation. Descendants of Austen are looking to auction the ring off for approximately £30,000.
Following her death in 1817, the ring was passed down to her sister Cassandra, who passed it to her future sister-in-law Eleanor Jackson. Eleanor would pass it down to niece Caroline Austen, with a note that read “he enclosed ring once belonged to your Aunt Jane… I bequeath it to you. God bless you!” Caroline would then pass it to her niece Mary, whose descendants are auctioning the ring now.
Dr. Gabriel Heaton, of Sotheby’s (the auctioners) said, “This ring is totally unknown to scholars. There are very few items of jewellery that belonged to Jane Austen. To have the opportunity to acquire something so intimately connected to her is a rare opportunity. It is the kind of object you can imagine her wearing; elegant and stylish, but plain and not terribly expensive.”
The ring is set to be auctioned off on July 10th.