Sotheby's
A natural turquoise ring that once belonged to Jane Austen has been put up for auction by her descendants. The existence of the ring shocked and surprised Austen experts and fans.
A simple stone ring that once belonged to Jane Austen is going up for auction next month, with estimates that it will bring in as much as $46,000.
The natural turquoise ring set in gold was unknown to Austen scholars and fans until now. It originally belonged to the “Pride and Prejudice” author who passed it down to her sister, Cassandra, after her death. Cassandra then gave it to their future sister in-law, Eleanor. It remained in this large family until now when the owner, who has no daughters, decided to sell it.
“When I first heard about the ring, my initial thought was, ‘Well this will be a few minutes of my time to tell this family why it’s probably not authentic,’” Dr. Gabriel Heaton, a specialist in Sotheby's book and manuscript department, told TODAY.com. “As I heard more of their story, I was astonished that something as exciting as this ring was out there and it was unknown to the Austen community. It’s exactly what you would imagine on Jane Austen’s finger: Tasteful, simple, elegant and beautifully formed.”
