Ring made from shackles
Russia. Zabaykalsky Krai. Petrovsky Zavod
1827–1830
Iron; forging, hammering, carving
Diameter 1,9 cm
Acquisition: gift from Nikolsk local museum, Vologda region, 1958
Showcase 8
Belonged to A.I.Odoyevsky
Odoyevsky Alexander Ivanovich (1802–1839), cornet of the Life Guard Horse Regiment; poet; member of the secret Northern Society. Participant in the revolt on December 14, 1825; remembered for his romantic exclamation: “We shall die, brothers, oh how gloriously we shall die!” Odoyevsky was convicted among the 4th category of the rebels and was sentenced to 8 years of penal servitude and to exile-to-settlement. He is known for the reply to Pushkin’s poem addressed to Decembrists: “One spark will start a flame”. In 1837 he was sent to the Caucasus to serve in the Army as common soldier, and died of malaria during a military expedition.
Historical museum keeps one of the largest collections of Decembrists memorabilia. Rings made from shackles are of special historic value, two of them belonged to Alexander Ivanovich Odoyevsky: one ring is made of iron with scaly corrugation; another iron ring represents a handshake.
The idea of making such souvenirs belonged to Decembrists brothers Michail and Nikolai Bestuzhev. At first, they made the rings from iron of shackles as a memory of Decembrists’ cruel and unjust punishment and of their stay in Siberia. But iron of the shackles proved to be tough for hand’s skin. Many who wanted to wear them had skin redness and burning. And then masters started covering the inside of the rings with silver or gold. The creator of these rings Michail Bestuzhev remembered: “I was the first to get the idea of iron rings. At the time I started working in metal and gold, and did it with great pleasure, especially because my brother was my forgiving tutor, and I had all the necessary tools. I thought about making rings from my iron for my sisters and mother. When in Chita on the Merciful order our chains were taken off, me and some of my friends gave the soldier money for vodka, offered him something from our limited wardrobe and kept our chains, which became the original material for the rings. I made soon five new rings with the help of my brother, and this time they were lined inside with the gold from the rings of our wives who gave them for me and my brother to prepare for them similar iron rings”.
When the first rings made from shackles were brought to Decembrists’ relatives and friends in central Russia, it turned out that many would like to have them in memory of the exiles. As happens such rings were even falsified.
1
