A beautiful tiny orange blossom eternity band - originally this would have been made as a baby ring, but would be perfect now for those with particularly slim digits, or as a midi or pinky ring - we even love these strung on a chain as a pendant.

While the practice of giving babies jewelry has ancient roots in protection and decoration, the Victorians in particular loved to adorn little ones - though these tiny rings were much more often given as a keepsake, stored away or worn by the mother. It's helpful to remember that with infant mortality so high in the 1800s, a small physical item like this was not only a lovely way to celebrate the birth of a child, but would also serve as a memento if the child didn't survive. Popular as well was to create a miniature replica of the mother's wedding band - orange blossom eternity bands were one of the most popular styles of wedding rings in the Deco period, as the orange blossoms were meant to represent both purity and fertility/prosperity.

This wee thing is stamped for Ostby & Barton - for a time, the largest ring manufacturers in the world. Based out of Providence, Rhode Island, and founded in 1879, the business was thriving when Engelhart Cornelius Ostby and his daughter Helene took one of many trips to Europe in 1912. Booked in first class cabins for their return trip, father and daughter boarded the Titanic, but only Helene made it back to the United States. She would go on to join the family business (along with her brother and niece), and Ostby & Barton would continue to produce jewelry into the 1950s.

Details:
• 10k yellow gold, stamped OB 10k
• Size 1/4 and not sizeable - for reference, inside diameter is 11.8mm
• 1.2mm wide and 0.45mm thick
• Less than 0.1g