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Description: | A silver complete personal fob seal matrix with a double revolving octagonal shaped die with an engraving on each face. Measuring 20.6mm in total height and c12mm in width at its widest point, 1.53g in weight.
The frame of the seal matrix has a circular suspension loop, below this it flares into a shaft with short wavy longitudinal grooves running down it on both faces. There are two small protruding parallel scroll motifs at the base of the shaft, which then flares into an arch. The upper half of the revolving double octagonal shaped die, 10mm in length and 7mm in width, fits snugly within this arch and parallel unseen pins, attached to the arch and into either side of the middle of the die, hold it in place and allow it to revolve. One face of the die is engraved with a central heart pierced by two diagonal arrows, there are two drops of blood below the heart. The other face is engraved with an Eagle displayed. As die iconography is infinite these engravings can not be traced to a single individual.
A similar circa 17th century fob seal matrix with a double revolving die made of copper-alloy rather than silver has been discovered at Abbotskerswell, Devon. Fob seal matrices were suspended from the loop from watch chains or ribbons and carried in the breeches waistband fob-pocket (Read 1995, 153, no 1032). | Format: | text/html | License: | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ | Publisher: | The Portable Antiquities Scheme | Rights holder: | The Portable Antiquities Scheme | Subjects: | archaeology | Temporal: | 1600
1700 | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://www.finds.org.uk/database/artefac... | Language: | en-GB | Format: | text/html | Go to resource |
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