Antique Victorian Sterling Silver Gilt Skull Ring with Snake Motif Memento Mori

An exceptional 19th-century Victorian memento mori ring, crafted from solid sterling silver with partial gold gilding. The design features a haunting skull face flanked by coiling snake heads, symbolizing mortality and the eternal cycle of life and death. The craftsmanship reflects the macabre yet deeply spiritual fascination with mortality that characterized the late Victorian era.

The skull, finely modeled with a worn gilded surface, exhibits the passage of time and wear consistent with age. The skeletal shank with serpent motifs adds further symbolic depth — snakes were often associated with rebirth and transformation, making this ring both a personal talisman and a reminder of the impermanence of life.

Likely worn by a gentleman of intellectual or philosophical leaning, or as a mourning piece, this ring represents one of the most evocative forms of Victorian mourning jewelry.

Details

• Era: Victorian, circa 1860–1880
• Material: Sterling silver, partially gilt (gold-washed highlights)
• Design: Skull with snake heads on shoulders
• Ring size: US 9 (approx. UK R ½)
• Condition: Excellent antique condition with rich patina; traces of gilding remain, enhancing its historical authenticity.
• Provenance: From a private European collection

During the Victorian period, memento mori jewelry served as both a personal reflection on mortality and a fashionable statement among intellectual circles. Inspired by earlier Georgian mourning traditions, these rings were often worn to commemorate the dead or to remind the living of the transient nature of life.

The skull symbolized death, humility, and spiritual contemplation, while the snake represented rebirth and eternity — together embodying the balance between death and resurrection. Such rings were popular among Freemasons, scholars, and members of secret societies that valued esoteric symbolism.

This piece captures that enduring fascination with mortality, spirituality, and the afterlife — a rare and evocative survivor from the high Victorian age.

Shipping & Returns

• Worldwide shipping, tracked and insured
• Professionally packaged for safe delivery
• Returns accepted within 60 days
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