In 2026 I wanted to make a signet ring for my daughter,
in honor of her university graduation. That turned out to be more difficult than I had imagined.
Through a combination of research, and generative images of our existing signet rings, I created this rendering for laser engraving.
Email me for the artwork.
History Unearthed
These are the bookplates of Jane Austen’s father, George Austen, and her brother Edward. This is the only reference I can find on the internet that connects St. Peter, and the motto “Suivant Saint Pierre,” with our branch of the Knight family. The photos of these bookplates come from the website Austen Knight Family Bookplates, created by Jane Austin’s niece.
In 1812, Jane Austen’s brother, Edward Austen, officially changed his last name to Knight. This change occurred following the death of Catherine Knight, the widow of his adoptive father, Thomas Knight, as a stipulation in her will to inherit the family estates of Godmersham Park in Kent and Chawton in Hampshire.
For more history, visit the Reading with Austen website and scroll down to the Knight Family Bookplates section.
These are photos of our actual signet rings. I was given mine (right) in 1991, my dad got his (left) probably in the mid 1950’s.
Vanessa Breese 