Jane Austen's ring

On July 10, 2012, Sotheby’s in London will auction off a turquoise and gold ring which once belonged to Jane Austen. This rare piece of jewelry is expected to sell for which has a guide price of £20,000 to £30,000 (about $46,000).

Austen’s family put the ring on the market along with a November 1863 note from Jane's sister-in-law, Eleanor Austen to Jane's niece, Caroline Austen. "My dear Caroline," wrote Eleanor. "The enclosed ring once belonged to your Aunt Jane. It was given to me by your Aunt Cassandra as soon as she knew that I was engaged to your uncle. I bequeath it to you. God bless you!"

The ring has been in the Austen family for more than one hundred and fifty years. It is contained inside a box fashioned by a City of London goldsmith. "It's so unusual to find any personal possession of Jane Austen's. There's something very romantic about it," said Dr. Gabriel Heaton, Sotheby’s The auction will also include an 1813 first edition of Austen’s classic, Pride and Prejudice, which is expected to bring in a price of $30,00-45,000. Other items in the July 10 English Literature auction include a 1958 letter from Ernest Hemmingway to Peter Viertel complaining about the the movie adaptation of The Sun Also Rises. jane-austen-s-ring