ENGLISH 19THC AGATE, GILT & CARNELIAN ARMORIAL DESK SEAL - HAY CLAN

Seal Detail

A fine English 19th century agate, gilt and carnelian desk seal, the handle of striated agate, of colours ranging from pale grey to black, of octagonal pommel form, the stem leading to an octagonal gilt brass collar to a rectangular matrix, well engraved with a crest within a belt and buckle inscribed with a motto reading:

SERVA JUGUM (Keep the Yoke)

[The motto signifies a commitment to duty, service, and resilience, rooted in a legend where a farmer and his sons used a yoke to stop a fleeing Scottish army, turning the tide against Danish invaders.] 

A seal belonging to a member of the Scottish clan of Hay.  In superb condition commensurate with its age, with some gilt rubbed away on edges.

Seal Specification

Height:  60mm

Diameter of matrix:  15mmx17mm 

Weight:  31g