Silver and Wood Marriage Armorial Desk Seal with Decorative Engraving

Seal Detail

A late 18th or early 19th century Continental desk seal, with stained wood handle and silver matrix. The turned wood handle is of canon-form with ornately carved rounded top, and banded tapering stem lightly engraved with floral decoration, leading to an intricately carved integral silver collar and oval matrix. This is beautifully engraved and features twin shields under a count's coronet with intertwined rope decoration within a lined border. The silver collar is intricately engraved with leaves and vines and the oval matrix shows two shields beneath a coronet, symbolising a marriage between two families. Without knowing its true provenance, the seal appears to be Italian or Spanish by its design, and is presented in excellent condition with no obvious damage, commensurate with its age.

Seal Specification

Height 125mm

Diameter of matrix  20 x 25mm

Weight 39g