This is an amazing Vintage Ostby & Barton ring. The condition is outstanding. Ostby was killed in the Titanic sinking. I found some super interesteing facts about
him on the Titanic for the Encyclopedia Titanica, Awesome Website by the way!!! I pasted the story about him at the end of
this description.
The ring falls on a US mandrel at a size 9, which is a UK
Size R 1/2.
The Amethyst measures approx. 9.5mm by 7.5mm. The face
measures approx. 18mm north to south.
It is fully hallmarked, has been tested and verified,
weighing in at 3.6 grams. There are no problems. This item is pre-owned and
there will be ordinary and normal use marks.
Comes from a clean, smoke-free home.
From the Encyclopdeia Titanica:
Mr Engelhardt Cornelius Christensen Østby,1 65, was born in
Christiania (Oslo), Norway, on 18 December 1847. He was christened on 6 February 1848 at
Christiania (Oslo) Cathedral, in the Church of Norwa. He was the son of Christian Engelbrethsen (b.
7 February 1823 at Nes, Akershus County, Norway) and Josephine (nee
Christiansdatter; b. 19 April 1826 at Garnisonen Menighet in Christiania/Oslo)
Ostbye, who had married 19 November 1847 at ''Garnison Menighet'' (which means
''Garrison Parish) at Christiania (today's Oslo). His known brothers and
sisters were Alvilde Dorthea Christensen, b. 12 June 1850, Johanne Marie
Christensen, Marie Amalie Christensen, b. 6 October 1852, b. 12 January 1855,
Arthur Oscar Christensen, b. 12 May 1858, Constance Josephine Christiansdatter,
b. 7 February 1861, and Ragnhild Sara Dorothea Christensen, b. 26 August 1864.
Engelhardt studied to be a jeweller at the Royal School of
Art in his home city. After an education that included six years of
apprenticeship, he worked as a successful jeweller in Oslo.
In 1866 while he was still studying his parents and one of
his brothers emigrated to America. He followed them in 1869 and travelled via
New York to Providence, Rhode Island. He worked initially for the firm of Hunt
& Owen (G. & S. Owen ?) but soon moved to the firm of Arnold &
Webster (Later Arnold & Steere) where he acted as head of design and
engraving for nine years.
In 1879, with capital of about $3000, he formed a
partnership with Nathan B. Barton to create the business of Østby & Barton.
Working from premises at 25 Potter St. (later called Garnet St.) the firm
became the world's biggest producer of gold rings. Lack of space forced the
company to move from Potter St. to Clifford St. and the Austin factory
building. Soon outgrowing their new premises they again relocated, to the
former factory of the Ladd Watch Case Company on the corner of Richmond St. and
Clifford St. the building had to be doubled in size to accommodate the
burgeoning business.
In addition to his jewellery business, Østby was a director
of the High Street Bank and the Industrial Trust Company, and a trustee of the
Citizens Savings Bank; all of which were in Providence. Østby became well known
in the city both for his success in business and for his many charitable acts.
Engelhart Østby2 was married to Lizzy Macy Webster (born
1854) on 7 June 1876; they would go on to have four sons and, on 30 November
1889, a daughter Helen Ragnhild.
Lizzie died on 26 November 1899, aged 45 and Engelhardt
raised his youngest children with the help of his mother until her death on 5
December 1902 at the age of 76.
Østby often travelled to Europe to survey the European
markets, particularly Paris, and he was always on the lookout for developments
in both production and design. Beginning in 1906 Engelhart took Helen with him
on all his subsequent European business trips. They visited Norway for the
first time in 1907, returning with a Norwegian Goats cheese - a family
tradition which would be repeated in 1912. In the middle of January 1912
Engelhart travelled again to Europe, he needed a vacation, and again Helen accompanied
him. They travelled around Southern Europe and Egypt and while at Nice, France
they first heard about the possibility of returning to America on the Titanic.
They journeyed on to Paris where they met Frank and Anna Warren whom they had
previously met in Egypt. The Warrens already had their ticket for the Titanic.
Engelhart paid £62 for their tickets, according to White
Star their last address was c/o Brown Shipley, Pall Mall, London SW. so perhaps
they had also visited England. However, it was at the French port of Cherbourg
that they boarded the Titanic in first class, Engelhart occupying cabin B-30
and Helen B-36. Engelhart carried with him his old doctor's bag he always used
when travelling. In it he had gems, precious stones and other valuables that he
had bought in Paris.
On the night of the disaster Engelhart and Helen sat in the
reception room, they talked with Mr and Mrs Warren and listened to the
orchestra. At around 10 p.m. Mr and Mrs Warren decided to take a stroll on deck
but it was too cold so they all went to bed.
After the collision, Engelhart met his daughter in the
corridor that separated their staterooms. Together with the Warrens, they
climbed the grand staircase to the boat deck. Leaving Helen and the others
close to lifeboat 5 Engelhart returned to their staterooms to get some warmer
clothes but in the meantime, Helen had boarded the lifeboat and they never saw
each other again.
Engelhart's body was later recovered by the MacKay Bennett
(#234).
NO. 234. - MALE. - ESTIMATED AGE, 52. - HAIR, FAIR.
EFFECTS - Gold filled teeth; gold watch and chain; knife:
glasses; diary; two pocket books and papers.
FIRST CLASS. - NAME - ENGELHART C. OSTBY.
The embalmed body was identified in Halifax by an employee
of Ostby & Barton, David Sutherland; he brought the coffin to Rhode Island
and it was buried on 11 May 1912 (3 May?) at Swan Point, Providence. The paper
Svea wrote on 15 May that: "The body was laid in a sealed metal coffin
placed into a valuable mahogany coffin. The flower tribute was enormous, even
when a note had been circulated not to send any flowers." When Helen died
in 1978 she was buried close to her father.
The family sought compensation from the White Star Line for
their loss. Harold Ostby claimed 840,000 N.Kr. (Norwegian Kroner) for loss off
life and Helen claimed 5,376 N.Kr. for loss of property, and 33,600 N.Kr. for
loss of property and damage.
Engelhardt left a 14 page will bequeathing his estate to his
children along with separate bequests to his brother Arthur, his sister
Constance J. Coles of Brooklyn, NY and her daughter Elizabeth Coles. Some years
later he added codicils to the will which revoked the bequests to Arthur Ostby
and Elizabeth Coles but left intact his bequest of a homeplace in Brooklyn to
his sister Constance. Present-day descendants live in Providence, R.I., New
Haven, Connecticut, and Garland, Texas.
Notes
He was christened
Engelhardt Cornelius Christensen. At
some point, his father added Østby to the family name.
After his arrival
in America, his name tends to be spelt Engelhart.
References and Sources
State Of Rhode Island And Providence Plantations Certificate
Of Death
Per Kristian Sebak (1998) Titanic: 31 Norske Skjebner,
Genesis Publishers
The Providence Sunday Journal, January 1998
The Manufacturing Jeweler, 1912
The Rhode Island Sunday Magazine, 15 April 1962
Svea,15 May 1912
Claes-Göran Wetterholm (1988, 1996, 1999) Titanic. Prisma,
Stockholm. ISBN 91 518 3644 0
Newspaper Articles
The Evening News Ostbys Declared Safe
Providence Evening Tribune (15 April 1912) Englehart C.
Ostby
Boston Globe (2 May 1912) Bodies Reach Boston
Four of those of Titanic victims, including Timothy
McCarthy's, bought from Halifax.
Shelley Dziedzic Providence Journal (11 August 2005) Several
Interview Excerpts By Helen And Family Details
GN19-607-140p-CC999