A paste cameo mourning ring, James Tassie, late 18th century, and a shell cameo broooch, mid 19th

A paste cameo mourning ring, James Tassie, late 18th century, and a shell cameo broooch, mid 19th century, the brooch set with an oval cameo depicting the warrior Ajax, to a gilt metal mount, measuring 5.9 x 5.0cm, the ring set with a moulded cameo in blue and white glass depicting the Rev. James Fordyce (1720-1796), within a border of faceted black glass, to a plain gold mount, size T, dedicatory inscription 'Revd James Fordyce DD, Ob 10 Oct 1796 aet 76'

The Reverend James Fordyce was a Scottish Presbyterian minister and poet. A talented and engaging preacher and orator, he was the author of the influential text Sermons to Young Women. The cameo portrait of Fordyce by James Tassie is recorded in the Tassie archive, no.14185.