A GEORGIAN GOLD FOB SEAL - THE MARITAL ARMS OF HOWARD, DUKE OF NORFOLK AND BLOUNT

Seal Detail

The armorial bearings as engraved upon the matrix of this Georgian Gold and Rock Crystal Gentleman’s Seal Fob are those of Howard, Duke of Norfolk accollé with those of Blount showing on the dexter (the heraldic right on the left as you view the piece) the arms of the husband and on the sinister (the heraldic left on the right as you view it) the arms of the wife. They may be blazoned as follows:

Arms:
(on the dexter) Quarterly 1st Gules on a bend between six cross crosslets fitchy argent an escutcheon or charged with a demi-lion rampant pierced through the mouth by an arrow within a double tressure flory counterflory of the first (for Howard) 2nd Gules three lions passant guardant in pale or armed and langued azure in chief a label of three points argent (for Brotherton) 3rd Chequy or and azure (for Warren) and 4th Gules a lion rampant or (for Fitzalan).

Behind the arms are shown the two gold batons in saltire enamelled at the ends in black, which represent the Duke of Norfolk's office as Earl Marshal and Hereditary Marshal of
England.

accollé
(on the dexter) Barry nebuly of six or and sable (for Blount)
The arms are ensigned with the coronet of duke.
Supporters: (Dexter) A lion argent argent and langued gules
(Sinister) A Horse Argent holding in the mouth a slip of oak
vert fructed proper

Motto: Sola Virtus Invicta [Virtue alone is unconquered]

Given the evidence of these arms the earliest date of this fob is 1732 and the latest is
1773 they undoubtedly commemorate the marriage of Edward Howard, the 9th Duke
of Norfolk (born 5th June 1686 died 20th September 1777) and Mary Blount (born
before 1712 died 27th May 1773). Edward was the third son of Lord Thomas
Howard, of Worksop in the County of Nottinghamshire and his wife, Mary Elizabeth
Savile, whilst Mary was the third and youngest daughter and co-heiress of Edward
Blount, of Blagdon, near Paignton in the County of Devon and his wife, Anne Guise.

Edward and Mary were married at the Parish Church of St Edmund the King and
Martyr, Lombard Street in the City of London on the 27th November 1727. Edward
succeeded as the 9th Duke of Norfolk upon the death of his elder brother, Thomas
Howard, the 8th Duke of Norfolk on the 23rd December 1732. Sadly, as there was no
issue from Edward and Mary’s marriage upon Edward’s death in 1777, a distant
second cousin, Charles Howard succeeded as the 10th Duke of Norfolk.

Seal Specification

Height:  30mm (excluding suspension ring)

Diameter of matrix:  27mm x 23mm 

Weight:  14g