Elizabeth Ropes Orne, like many young women of the 19th century, marked the important relationships in her life with the intimate gesture of gifting a delicate ring. Elizabeth gave one to a friend— possibly her girlhood companion Sarah Stone—engraved ERO to S. Stone. In return, she received another inscribed AMB to ERO. In 1842, these tokens of friendship took on deeper meaning when Elizabeth died of tuberculosis at the age of twenty-four.
Now, friendships of all kinds can be celebrated with high-quality reproductions of these Victorian-style rings, thanks to a unique collaboration between the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) and Jenni Stuart Fine Jewelry of Salem. It feels fitting: The originals were first forged around 1826 by a Salem jeweler on Essex Street.
Time Capsule
Elizabeth, an only child, lived in the stately Ropes Mansion on Essex Street with her parents. Today, visitors often associate the property with the 1990s film Hocus Pocus, but long before Hollywood, it was home to three generations of the Ropes family. The mansion remains one of New England’s most significant and thoroughly documented historic houses.
“It’s PEM’s time capsule,” says Paula Richter, PEM’s curator at large. “What did the family buy? Who did they buy it from—in Boston, in Salem?” PEM now stewards hundreds of objects from the Ropes family. Visitors can wander freely through fifteen rooms of the home—including all three floors with bathrooms that once inspired the envy of neighbors—and glimpse Elizabeth’s undisturbed bedroom, her furnishings, desk, and bookshelf.
“I’m so happy to be the maker who gets to bring these stories to life,” says Jenni Stuart. Her reproductions, made in sterling silver and diamonds with delicate freshwater pearls, sell for $380 at the PEM Shop, or in solid gold, custom priced by size and material at her Salem store. With retail space on Salem’s vibrant Front Street and a custom design studio on Washington Street, Stuart is known for ethical sourcing and expert restoration. Taking on a project so deeply tied to Salem’s history suited her perfectly. She visited the Ropes Mansion, studied the original jewelry, met with PEM curators, and worked to capture the essence of these 19th-century rings.
“The friendship rings seemed like such a good place to start,” Stuart says. “So many people come to Salem as a group— sisters, friends, bachelorette parties.” Her first prototype used a modern brilliant-cut stone, which she quickly deemed “too sparkly.” A vintage cut proved more authentic. “Too sparkly wouldn’t have suited the Ropes family,” notes Richter. “Their taste was understated. They chose very high-quality things, but they weren’t flashy—there was a love of quality and a sense of restraint.”
The reproduced rings reflect that same quiet elegance. “You can imagine slipping them on,” says Richter. “You can’t do that with the museum originals, but with the reproductions, you can. It’s tangible, sensory—you can attach your own meanings to them.”
Inspiring Reproductions
Finding inspiration in museum collections and translating that into contemporary design has long been part of PEM merchandising director Victor Oliveira’s work across New England museum shops. “What’s special here is that this very fine reproduction is something you don’t often see in a museum store,” he said. When he saw Stuart’s prototypes, he was thrilled. “I actually gasped,” he admits. “They were so detailed and true to the original design. Her talent is remarkable—she absolutely crushed the challenge.”
Using PEM’s platform to highlight local artistry is one of Oliveira’s favorite parts of the job. He’s also collaborating with We Dream in Colour, an Essex based jewelry line, on an earring collection inspired by PEM’s current exhibition “Andrew Gn: Fashioning the World.” “It’s a wonderful exchange,” he said. “Our history and collections inspire new art, and their artistry brings fresh relevance to our mission.”
Traditionally, matching or exchanged rings symbolize marriage, but Oliveira appreciates the broader message. “Platonic relationships can be just as meaningful—and often last longer. These rings honor that kind of enduring bond. Why not tie the knot with a friend? It’s like turning Valentine’s Day into Galentine’s Day. I’m all for opening up traditions to include all kinds of relationships.”
Stuart encourages buyers to personalize their rings with engraved secret messages—available both at her shop and at the PEM store. When asked what she would inscribe herself, she smiles: “I love finding a vintage piece with an engraving you can’t quite decode. If I were here visiting Salem with my friends and we bought these, it would definitely be an inside joke that no one else would understand—because that’s the point.”
The Ropes Friendship Rings are available at the PEM store, in the shop’s holiday catalog, and at Jenni Stuart Fine Jewelry. Visitors can view the original collection at the Ropes Mansion, open seasonally for self-guided tours—a timeless link between past and present, friendship and craft.