Georgian Mourning Urn Miniature Ring dated 1774

An 18th century mourning ring that circa dates to one year before the start of the American Revolution, featuring a hand-painted sepia miniature of a funeral urn framed by weeping willow branches. The details on the black enamel band identify this as a memorial piece for R. Cook, with an obituary date of November 29th, 1774 at the age of 71. It's a rare example of Georgian memorial jewelry, because of the undulating style of the band which seems to have been used for a brief period from about the 1760s to the early 1780s. Sepia paintings such as this were popular as memorial pieces; the paint was made of dissolved or macerated hair. The urn has been associated with cremation, as a receptacle for the body's ashes, since Ancient times, and its extension as a symbolic reference to the deceased in memorial pieces is a natural evolution. DETAILS: Approximately 7/16" north to south and 3/8" east to west across the face. The band measures about 2.18 mm wide all around. The miniature is paint