Gold Ring from an 1869 Australian Shipwreck - info on style/hall marks requested

[Maustrauser]

Hi,
I posted this query on Reddit and was advised to come here as you guys are so knowledgeable. I am a writer and am trying to solve a mystery relating to the owner of a gold ring lost in a shipwreck (or perhaps murdered for the ring). As this material will be used in a book that is yet to be published I can't provide too many details about the wreck or the owner of the ring. However, as soon as the book is published I'll provide full details here. Sorry about the mystery but I have been tracking down this story for the past six years and don't want to reveal it until I have all the facts!

I've attached two photos of a gold ring that was found on the shipwreck in New South Wales in 1969 by a couple of recreational divers. The wreck occurred in 1869.

I know nothing about rings and so any comments anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated.

The ring appears to be a gold signet ring. It contains a makers mark(or Hallmark?) inside that says GLM or CLM. The initials on the outside say APL and are likely to be the initials of the owner.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Maus

 

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[cudamark]

Welcome to Tnet! Interesting ring. Good Luck on your quest.

 

[packerbacker]

do you think it's possible the ring came off a wreck diver and isn't as old as the wreck itself?

 

[Ant]

IMO it most likely came from the shipwreck, could have slipped off a survivor, who knows. The initials inside the ring are the ring master's, the initials on the shield are that of the owners. You can view some antique initial shield rings at the links below, I posted one from the link circa 1860's:

Mid-Victorian 1861-1880 | Facets of history
https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=AwrTcXp4vvxVNhcAbluInIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTBsZ29xY3ZzBHNlYwNzZWFyY2gEc2xrA2J1dHRvbg--;_ylc=X1MDMTM1MTE5NTc4NARfcgMyBGJjawNmNzRsbmpkYWdsMDFwJTI2YiUzRDMlMjZzJTNEaDcEZnIDeWZwLWhybW9iLTgwMgRncHJpZANNMUJoT3BtTVQ2T0JIdDEyS28wYXFBBG10ZXN0aWQDbnVsbARuX3N1Z2cDMQRvcmlnaW4DaW1hZ2VzLnNlYXJjaC55YWhvby5jb20EcG9zAzAEcHFzdHIDBHBxc3RybAMEcXN0cmwDMjQEcXVlcnkDYW50aXF1ZSBnb2xkIHNoaWVsZCByaW5nBHRfc3RtcAMxNDQyNjI3NDMwBHZ0ZXN0aWQDbnVsbA--?gprid=M1BhOpmMT6OBHt12Ko0aqA&pvid=75mhLjIwNi7zkrebVQqAORH3NjYuMgAAAADRVgH1&p=antique+gold+shield+ring&fr=yfp-hrmob-802&fr2=sb-top-images.search.yahoo.com&ei=UTF-8&n=60&x=wrt

 

[Ant]

https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=AwrTcXp4vvxVNhcAbluInIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTBsZ29xY3ZzBHNlYwNzZWFyY2gEc2xrA2J1dHRvbg--;_ylc=X1MDMTM1MTE5NTc4NARfcgMyBGJjawNmNzRsbmpkYWdsMDFwJTI2YiUzRDMlMjZzJTNEaDcEZnIDeWZwLWhybW9iLTgwMgRncHJpZANNMUJoT3BtTVQ2T0JIdDEyS28wYXFBBG10ZXN0aWQDbnVsbARuX3N1Z2cDMQRvcmlnaW4DaW1hZ2VzLnNlYXJjaC55YWhvby5jb20EcG9zAzAEcHFzdHIDBHBxc3RybAMEcXN0cmwDMjQEcXVlcnkDYW50aXF1ZSBnb2xkIHNoaWVsZCByaW5nBHRfc3RtcAMxNDQyNjI3NDMwBHZ0ZXN0aWQDbnVsbA--?gprid=M1BhOpmMT6OBHt12Ko0aqA&pvid=75mhLjIwNi7zkrebVQqAORH3NjYuMgAAAADRVgH1&p=antique+gold+shield+ring&fr=yfp-hrmob-802&fr2=sb-top-images.search.yahoo.com&ei=UTF-8&n=60&x=wrt

 

[briguy]

The ring could have been used for wax seals. Not sure of anything else.

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

just curious.. What information were you looking for? Its a gold signat ring and you know where it came from. Where you looking to find out who owns it? Who made it? Its date? Im confused on what information you were hoping to find. Its a very cool ring for sure. If it were for wax seals the lettering would be reversed


sorry... Just saw the title of this lol which answers my questions

 

[DCMetal]

I have a book of American maker's marks but if the ring is English (assumed)... there are books with complete lists. You can find them online. It will also hep if you use a loop to make sure of the exact letters in the mark.

Here's a link that might help. Not an easy list to read online though. Good luck!

https://archive.org/stream/cu31924030681757/cu31924030681757_djvu.txt

 

[Crispin]

The picture of the inside of the ring is really blurry. Can you get a better picture of it so we can try to identify the Maker's Mark?

 

[Red James Cash]

Why do,would you think somebody was murdered for the ring. In 1869 gold was worth 25 bucks an ounce.A bucks worth is hardly enough to kill somebody for back then.Not to mention the murderer had to buy a ticket to get on the ship.an expense not justified just to steal a ring.Unless of course it was taken to make it look like a robbery.

 

[ARC]

This type of ring is called a "signet ring".

 

[sutphin]

DAMN WHAT A NEET FIND .

 

[Maustrauser]

I guess that is possible but it appears that the ring was found under quite a bit of silt. The style doesn't look modern.

 

[Maustrauser]

Thanks so much for the information. It really looks very similar to the ring found by the divers. This would put it pretty close to the date of the wreck.

 

[Maustrauser]

I'd love to but the ring is not in my hands. As I noted in the original post the makers mark is either GLM or CLM.

 

[Maustrauser]

If it is from the man that I think it was from then he was killed not for the ring but because he was a cruel, domineering, alcoholic bully. If I can better date when it was made and perhaps where it was made then I'd be in a good position to work out whether or not this ring is from the murdered man.

 

[Crispin]

Well spill the beans! I love a good murder mystery. Can you show us a better picture of the Maker's mark. Without that....

 

[bradyboy]

need to see clear images of the makers mark
Also, the inside the ring looks in remarkable condition for being found on a ship wreck
Just a thought
Brady