{"id":360,"date":"2008-01-13T16:04:00","date_gmt":"2008-01-13T23:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wendybrandes.com\/blog\/?p=360"},"modified":"2008-01-13T16:04:00","modified_gmt":"2008-01-13T23:04:00","slug":"i-gave-it-all-to-your-cousin-josephine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2008\/01\/i-gave-it-all-to-your-cousin-josephine\/","title":{"rendered":""I Gave It All to Your Cousin Josephine!""},"content":{"rendered":"

I love this scene from The Sopranos. Tony and his murderous mother Livia are fighting about her future, including the dispensation of her good jewelry.<\/p>\n

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My <\/a>Livia Poison Ring<\/a> <\/a>wasn’t inspired by Livia Soprano, though I’m sure she would have found it useful.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Livia Poison Ring in 18K yellow gold and diamonds<\/span>
\u00a9 Wendy Brandes 2007-2008<\/span>
Photo by the very good-natured John Muggenborg<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

Instead, the ring was named after the Roman Empress Livia Drusilla<\/a>, who was falsely rumored to have killed her husband Augustus<\/a>, the first Roman emperor, by poisoning his figs while they were still on the tree. Supposedly, she did this to enable Tiberius, her son by her first husband, to become emperor. However, Augustus died at age 76 — truly ancient in ancient times and not so young now<\/a> either. He and Livia had been married for 50 years. No one with an ounce of sense believes this intelligent and influential woman would suddenly decide to kill an old man with an elaborate tainted fruit scheme after missing half a century of opportunity. The fig story is just another example of a powerful woman being maligned by threatened males. Humph.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Livia Po<\/span>ison Ring in 18K yellow gold and green tourmaline<\/span>
\u00a9 Wendy Brandes 2007-2008<\/span>
Photo by the patient John Muggenborg<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

I didn’t name my ring after Livia with the intention of perpetuating the poison myth. I’m sorry, Livia! I did the first Livia ring in diamonds without a namesake queen in mind. The border of gold around the diamond pave<\/a> made me think of Roman jewelry, in which cabochon <\/a>stones were bezel-set<\/a>. So, I named the ring after the greatest Roman lady I could think of. Then I did a few versions of the ring with cabochons to emphasize the Roman look.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Livia Po<\/span>ison Ring in 18K yellow gold and moonstone<\/span>
\u00a9 Wendy Brandes 2007-2008<\/span>
Photo by John Muggenborg<\/a>, whom I will certainly pay soon!<\/p>\n

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Years after her death, Livia was deified by her grandson, Emperor Claudius<\/a>. I, Claudius<\/a> by Robert Graves is my favorite historical novel even though it portrays Livia as a monster who poisons nearly everyone she meets.<\/p>\n

Livia Poison Rings start at $5850. Figs not included.<\/p>\n

UPDATED TO ADD: Gold prices have surpassed $900 an ounce. Can you believe that at the beginning of this decade, gold traded below $300 an ounce? I have to raise all my prices.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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I love this scene from The Sopranos. Tony and his murderous mother Livia are fighting about her future, including the dispensation of her good jewelry. My Livia Poison Ring wasn’t inspired by Livia Soprano, though I’m sure she would have found it useful. Livia Poison Ring in 18K yellow gold and diamonds\u00a9 Wendy Brandes 2007-2008Photo…<\/p>\n

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