A MID / LATE 19TH CENTURY GOLD AND HARDSTONE DESK SEAL
LIKELY ENGLISH, CIRCA 1840/1860
Estimate: £800 - £1,200
Auction: Silver & Objets de Vertu | Wednesday 4th March at 10am
Description
The handle formed of a gold chased and engraved gauntlet hand holding a seal matrix, this smaller matrix engraved with initials LC in gothic script, the flared and facetted stem of bloodstone of foliate border enclosing a larger oval matrix with coat of arms, supporters and motto surmounted but a Viscounts coronet
Dimensions
10.5cm long, matrices 23mm and 14 mm wide
Provenance
Sworders, 1st July 2015, lot 265
The Matrix Collection.
Footnote
Notes
Due to the combined initials and Viscounts arms it seems highly likely this seal was original commissioned by Lucius Cary, 10th Viscount Falkland (1803 – 1884). He was the son of Captain Charles John Cary, 9th Viscount, and Christiana Anton. He succeed the title and estates at the age of only five following his riotous fathers death in a duel.
He was married twice, firstly to Amelia Fitz Clarence illegitimate Daughter of king William IV and Dorothea Bland, in 1830. He married again in 1859 Elizabeth Catherin, daughter of Major General Joseh Gubbins.
Lucius was a Liberal politician holding posts under Queen Victoria as Governor of Novia Scotia (1840 – 1846, Governor of Bombay (1848 – 1853) and held position as Captain of the Yeoman of the guard (1846 – 1848)
He died without issue and was succeed by his younger brother Plantagenet Pierrepont Cary.