Signet ring

A seal or signet ring was used to apply the wearer's personal mark to the sealing wax on a document. The seal then denoted the legality of the document and the identification of the issuing authority or individual. Signet rings could be engraved with a coat of arms or crest, an initial, a merchant's mark (a geometric symbol used to mark goods or personal belongings), as with the dog on this ring, a personal symbol.

The name 'James Grew' which appears to be engraved around the dog on this ring was originally read as a romantic motto ' iame s'geein' (which could be read as J'aimes songeant' or I am dreaming of love') but it seems more likely to be the name of the ring's first owner. The word 'grew' or 'grue' was a Scottish dialect word for greyhound and the dog on the bezel may therefore be an example of canting heraldry, referring to the name James Grew.

Information on the derivation of 'grew' and the re-attribution of the ring was kindly supplied by Malcolm Jones in 2016.