Accession No
1922.769.1
Description
Personal conical seal matrix of silver. Handle with octagonal cross-section, collar with ridges and a pierced spherical terminal; oval die with coat of arms including cinquefoils, maunch, martlet and pellets; above the coat of arms is a helmet and cross made from spear parts.
Place
Europe; British Isles; England
Period
Post Medieval 17th century
Source
Cambridge Antiquarian Society [monetary donor]; Ambrose, Cole [collector and vendor]
Department
Arch
Reference Numbers
1922.769.1
Cultural Affliation
Material
Metal; Silver
Local Term
Measurements
21mm
Events
Context (Display)
1922.769.1-2 previously mounted on patterned paper-wrapped display board with handwritten label: 'Impaled shield of arms with crest'
On reverse in pencil: 'XVII C. (HSK) Darcy and Conyers [next word unclear] The coat of arms on the sinister is that of Lee or Leigh / MM'
Event Date
Author: Katrina Dring
Description (Physical description)
Catalogue card for 1922.769[.1]: 'Silver seal matrix with crest and coat of arms.'
Event Date 1922
Author: maa
Description (Physical description)
Accession Register fro 1922.769[.1]: 'Matrix for seal - silver.'
Event Date 1922
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)
Description (Physical description)
Description of 1922.769[.1] by Kingsford, 1929: 'Silver; oval 19 x 17 mm.; conical eight-sided handle with globular top; height 21 mm. A shield of arms: I, Party fess wise, i, crusilly and 3 cinquefoils,ii, a. maunch, impaling 11,.a fess between in chief 2 pellets and in base a martlet. Crest on a helmet with wreath and mantling, a tilting spear in 3 pieces, the head erect and. the other parts in saltire, all bound together with a ribbon. No legend.'
Event Date 1929
Author: Katrina Dring
Context (Analysis)
Analysis from Kingsford publication: 'It has so far not been possible to identify the owner of the seal with absolute ceitainty. The first coat is with but little doubt Darcy—azure
crusilly &.3 cinquef oils silver. If this ascription be correct the second coat must almost certainly be Conyers—azure, a maunch gold. The impaled coat seems clearly to be 'Leigh—silver a fess between in chief 2 pellets & in base a martlet sable—granted in 1593 to Robert Leigh who became Lord
Mayor of London in 1602. The crest is that of Darcy lord Darcy. of Aston, and Darcy of Kiltulla, co. Galway. There can therefore be little doubt that the seal was made for a Darcy who married a Leigh. The only such marriage however that so far I have been able to find is that of Sir Francis Darcy, died 1641, with Catherine daughter of Sir Edward Leigh; but she was a Leigh of Rushall, a family
which should not bear the arms impaled on this seal.
Event Date 1929
Author: Katrina Dring
Context (References)
Kingsford, H. S. (1929). 'Seal Matrices in the University Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Cambridge'. Proceedings of the Cambridge Antiquarian Society, vol 30, pp. 16-28 (no. 11)
Event Date 1929
Author: maa
Description (Physical description)
Personal conical seal matrix of silver. Handle with octagonal cross-section, collar with ridges and a pierced spherical terminal; oval die with coat of arms including cinquefoils, maunch, martlet and pellets; above the coat of arms is a helmet and cross made from spear parts.
Event Date 14/2/2024
Author: Katrina Dring
FM:45263
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