ari kouch witness statement

Question 1

What Jeweler’s Associations are you certified with?

Answer 1

French and American

Question 2

Why have you been hired?

Answer 2

To evaluate the lineage of the Shakespearian signet ring.

Question 3

Where did you go to college?

Answer 3

University of Oxford

Question 4

What did you major in?

Answer 4

Archaeology

Question 5

Where did you go for graduate school?

Answer 5

The Gemological Institute of America

Question 6

What program did you complete at the Gemological Institute?

Answer 6

The Graduate Gemologist Program

Question 7

What did you specialize in at the Gemological Institute?

Answer 7

15th and 16th century pieces.

Question 8

What did you review?

Answer 8

The supporting papers provided by Cleo Shafer

Question 9

What can you confirm?

Answer 9

This is an authentic ring owned by Shakespeare in the late 1500’s

Question 10

What did Shakespeare do in his last will and testament?

Answer 10

He left the signet ring to fellow actor John Heminges

Question 11

Who was John Heminges?

Answer 11

An actor and a founding shareholder of the Globe theater

Question 12

What do no records exist of?

Answer 12

The signet ring’s location or ownership in between Heminges’ death and 1769

Question 13

What happened in 1769?

Answer 13

The Shakespeare Jubilee where the ring was rediscovered.

Question 14

Where was the Shakespeare Jubilee held?

Answer 14

Stratford-upon-Avon

Question 15

What happened to the signet ring after it was found?

Answer 15

It was brought to the Royal Academy of Arts in London

Question 16

Who gained possession of the signet ring after it was found?

Answer 16

Henry Shafer

Question 17

Who was Henry Shafer?

Answer 17

A distant relative of John Heminges

Question 18

Who examined the ring at the Royal Academy of Arts?

Answer 18

The archivists

Question 19

When did the archivists examine the ring at the Royal Academy?

Answer 19

1780

Question 20

What did the archivists produce?

Answer 20

The supporting paperwork for the signet ring

Question 21

What initials does the ring bear?

Answer 21

W.S.

Question 22

What style is the ring of?

Answer 22

Distinctly Elizabethan style

Question 23

What are signet rings used for?

Answer 23

They are used to stamp the wearer’s initials into a wax seal

Question 24

Who provided the supporting papers?

Answer 24

Cleo Shafer

Question 25

What do the supporting papers note?

Answer 25

The date and location of the ring's discovery in the 18th century

Question 26

What did the papers show?

Answer 26

That the ring was found in a location frequented by Shakespeare and that the ring's size and distinctive details around the lettering are consistent with the Elizabethan era.

Question 27

What did you do during your examination of the ring?

Answer 27

I used nitric acid to determine the metal of the ring.

Question 28

What is using nitric acid for?

Answer 28

It is a basic professional method of determining whether or not the metal in an item is actual gold

Question 29

What metal was the signet ring made of?

Answer 29

Solid gold.

Question 30

How much did the signet ring weigh?

Answer 30

14 grams

Question 31

Given the ring's connection to Shakespeare, what is the ring worth?

Answer 31

3000 pounds

Question 32

What is 3000 pounds in today's money?

Answer 32

170,000 dollars

Question 33

How long was the ring on display at the Royal Academy of Arts?

Answer 33

Almost 100 years (98 years)

Question 34

Where was the ring displayed after the Royal Academy?

Answer 34

The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

Question 35

Where is the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust located?

Answer 35

Stratford-upon-Avon

Question 36

When was the ring at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust?

Answer 36

1867 until 2009

Question 37

How was the ring at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust?

Answer 37

On continued loan from the Shafer family.

Question 38

What is the Shafer family well-known for?

Answer 38

Their collection of Elizabethan objects and fine art and their distant relations to prominent historical figures.

Question 39

How long was the ring on display at museums?

Answer 39

Over 200 years.

Question 40

What happened in 2009?

Answer 40

The Shafer family removed the ring to display in their private collection.

Question 41

Where is the private Shafer family collection located?

Answer 41

It is based in London.

Question 42

What is on display at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust?

Answer 42

A portrait of Shakespeare.

Question 43

When does the portrait date back to?

Answer 43

The early 1600's

Question 44

How big is the portrait?

Answer 44

8 feet by 11 feet

Question 45

What is Shakespeare wearing in the portrait?

Answer 45

The signet ring

Question 46

What is clearly visible in the portrait?

Answer 46

The initials W.S. surrounded by intertwined tassels, also known as Bowen.

Question 47

What does the large size of the portrait allow?

Answer 47

For ample detail of the ring to be seen.

Question 48

What ring is the ring in the portrait?

Answer 48

The ring in the portrait is undoubtedly the signet ring in Scher's possession.

Question 49

What is your professional opinion?

Answer 49

It is my professional opinion that Shakespeare owned this ring.