This famous engraving of the 1833 Leonid meteor shower was produced by Adolf Vollmy. It’s based on a painting by Swiss artist Karl Jauslin, which, in turn, was based on a first-person account of the 1833 storm by a minister, Joseph Harvey Waggoner, who saw the 1833 shower on his way from Florida to New Orleans.
In that famous shower, hundreds of thousands of meteors per hour were seen! It was the first recorded meteor storm of modern times.
I loved to make this beautiful ‘Memento mori’ commission. I have a similar ring in stock, which is quite delicate in size , but the customer liked it a bit bigger and still elegant to wear. So we agreed on designing a new ring for her, in 14k gold with a raspberry red garnet. It’s so funny, this is a design not everyone likes. Some people think of the skull as scary, or as a permanent reminder of death.
Well, I have to admit that Memento mori translates to “remember you must die“. But the philosophy behind this intends its practitioners to live for a cause rather than in the pursuit of earthly goods as everything is temporary. In medieval times this ’cause’ was the good Christian life, in order to receive a ticket to the eternal hideaway in heaven. But nowadays it’s more and more seen as a reminder to ‘truly live’, in a way that suits your personal nature.
For me personally, this rings also refers to the 8th house in astrology. The 8th house takes us to our edge where transformation and rebirth are just on the other side of despair and death. It’s a house of transition from one state to the next. You have to take the the 8th house risk, face yourself, let go, transform and heal, in order to grow. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes.
My Sun and Moon are in 8th, which explains my interests and inspiration in the magic and mysteries of life and nature.
And I wondered what the customer’s connection with this particular ring was and I knew I could ask. And without writing her story down, I give you my thoughts on this; It’s during 8th house influences that people often get interested in astrology, but it’s also during 8th house influences that customers apparently find my 8th house ring. It’s amazing how things can connect. This ring has found a home where it truly belongs. Magic…
A new hand carved, one of a kind ring, with little skull and garnet in 18k gold. A memento mori piece; which means that all life comes to an end. This may sound quite creepy, but in knowledge of that it also tells you to live your life and love every moment. And it’s also telling you to keep in mind what is important and what’s not, like what is it worth… in the end. This one is up for sale!
