Ancient-Jewellery

Email: glypticbob@gmail.com
Web site: https://www.ancient-jewellery.com/

Medieval armorial seal from Lincolnshire

SOLD

Code: 11034



This is an excavated medieval bronze armorial seal, dating to the 13th - 14th century. It would have once belonged to a knight, bearing his arms. The armorial displays as 'Murrey on a bend argent three cinqefoils' the sharp cross-hatching of the tincture makes it quite hard to differentiate between the colours 'Murrey' mulberry and Sanguine. The seal is inscribed with the owner's name in a form of 'Lombardic' script, this reads to me as "Iohs.De.Tanbrig?'. The seal is of a 'chessman' type with a quatrefoil handle (broken - possibly cause of the original loss?). These were extremely important objects to their owners, seldom misplaced or lost as credit cards are kept today. On the death of the owner, their seals were broken up and destroyed. Similar armorial seals have been recorded from Cambridge (SF-43A30C) and Northampton (IHS-0BB4C1).

OBJECT: Seal Matrice

CULTURE: Medieval

DATE: c. 13th - 14th century A.D.

MATERIAL: Bronze

SIZE: 22mm tall x 22mm diameter 

WEIGHT:  17.09 grams

PROVENANCE:  Ex. metal detector find from Lincolnshire