Q & A

C. S. of Vancouver, British Columbia writes:

Would like any information of an heirloom ring which has been handed down for 7 plus generations. It was left to me by my father, who received it from his father. It has been passed down to a direct male heir by each generation. It is speculated to have been hand-carved from either animal bone, or ivory. A professor at the University of New Brunswick suggests that it was most probably made from walrus tusk. It is possible that this ring was the property of my 5th great-grandfather who was born circa 1696 in Passaic, New Jersey. They were thrid generation Americans born of immigrant progenitor, Casparius Johannes Steynmets who migrated to New Amsterdam (New York) in 1631 from Holland.

The ring has been passed down through these generations:

Me
Father
Grandfather
Great-grandfather
Great-great grandfather
Great-great-great grandfather
Great-great-great-great grandfather

(A United Empire Loyalist who landed in St. John, New Brunswick, Canada on the ship "Jane & John" in the Spring of 1783.)

We asked Debra Sawatzky to respond:

Based on the photograph and documentation provided my personal opinion of your ring:

According the City Historian Mark S. Auerbach in his essay of “An Overview of the history of the City of Passaic” he opens with the following statement:

“… the city of Passaic is based upon information from many different sources and even to this day numerous facts are questioned and debated as to accuracy and or validity. Please keep in mind that over a long period of time historical facts may tend to become distorted, embellished, exaggerated and in many cases outright falsified.”

I will assume the item is a walrus tusk as stated. The age is 130 years old at the latest and more than likely to be the late 19th century. The condition and wear on the ring lacks patina and nicks normal to an older ring. The photograph shows the defined carving
lines characteristic of a harden steel tool (modern tool used during the industrial age).
The design may look random to the eye but each carving depicts a region and will signify an identity to the artist. The ring is similar to that known as “souvenir” rings bought during the re- immigration period from the Americas to Britain.

The value is placed on the “highest and best market” which would be as an “object of history” with the primary market place being the collectors in Britain where this item is typically found.

Replacement Value (old) for insurance purposes would be between $ 700.00 to
$1000.00 CDN. If the item was inspected personally this opinion, of course, may change.