BRONZE SEAL FOR GEORGE MURRAY BISHOP OF SODOR AND MAN 1814

Seal Detail

A fine example of a Bishop's desk seal; this one the seal of George Murray (1784-1860) as Bishop of Sodor and Man, and also a grandson of the duke of Atholl and a member of the Clan Murray.  

A conventional shield ensigned by a mitre:

Dexter: (argent) An unusual depiction of the Blessed Virgin Mary standing at the top of three steps and grasping pillars to either side and holding a church with her right hand (or); in base, the arms of of the Isle of Man, (gules) three armed legs conjoined in the fesse point (or), SEE OF MAN; impaling  sinister what are basically the arms of the dukes of ATHOLL; quarterly of six, 1. (azure) Three mullets (argent) within a double tressure counterflory (or), MURRAY; 2. ISLE OF MAN; 3. (argent) on a bend (azure) three bucks heads' cabossed (or), STANLEY; 4. (gules) Two lions passant guardant (argent),  STRANGE; 5. Paly of six, (or and sable), EARLDOM OF ATHOLL; 6. A fesse checky (azure and argent), STEWART.

(The depiction of the Blessed Virgin is a most unusual depiction of her despite the books describing the figure as Her.) 

George Murray was Bishop from 1813 (or 1814) to 1827, who was then translated to Rochester who remained in that position until his death in 1860.  His mother, incidentally, was Anne Charlotte Grant, Lady in waiting to Queen Charlotte.

The seal has canted sides and on the reverse is the engraved letter "T" indicating the TOP of the seal. The seal is further fitted with a ray skin case with a label for "Halfhide & Co, Seal Engravers to His Majesty The Prince Regent, Dukes of York, Cumberland and Sussex, Coventry Street, London"

Seal Specification

Height:  10mm

Diameter of matrix:  56mm x 82mm 

Weight:  331g