SEALS

[Royal General Annuity Society, London, S. J. Aldrich, Secretary.] Printed ‘Lady’s Ticket’ to the ‘Anniversary Festival’ with impressions of ten wax seals of eminent Victorians, with names and dates in contemporary manuscript, laid down on reverse.

Author: 
Royal General Annuity Society, London, S. J. Aldrich, Secretary; Sir Denis Le Marchant; Sir Edward Crofton; Sir Stratford Canning; Sir John Cunningham; Sir Edward Kerrision; Sir James Graham
Seals
Seals2
Publication details: 
Ticket to ‘Anniversary Festival’ of the Royal General Annuity Society, at the London Tavern, Bishopsgate Street (‘George Hudson, Esq., M.P. in the Chair’) dated 16 February 1848. Seals variously dated to 1847, 1848 and 1850.
£120.00
Seals
Seals2

Not only an interesting item of sigillography, but also a nice item relating to Victorian philanthropy. Eight red wax seals and two black, of varying sizes. Laid down in three rows on reverse of 15 x 11 cm card, tastefully printed in blue, red and gold, with facsimile of the signature of the Secretary, S. J. Aldrich. Originally ten seals were present, those that remain in good condition, most with good impressions of crests.

[C. L. F. de P. Barentin, Keeper of the Seals to Louis XVI of France.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Barentin'), in French, (to the Procureur Général?), regarding an appeal for clemency which Barentin intends to make to the king.

Author: 
Charles Louis François de Paule de Barentin (1738-1819), French statesman, Keeper of the Seals of France to Louis XVI at the time of the Revolution
Publication details: 
Dated from Versailles. [1789]
£250.00

2pp, 4to. On leaf tipped-in onto a piece of light-green card from an album, at head of which is attached a printed slip: 'BARENTIN C. L. F. de P. | Born 1738. Died 1819. | KEEPER OF THE SEALS TO LOUIS XVI.' The letter is undated, but the year '1789' has been added in pencil in a nineteenth-century hand. (That same year, following the Storming of the Bastille, Barentin was dismissed by the king.) Nineteen lines of closely-written text. Addressed at bottom left of first leaf to 'M le P Gl' (Monsieur le Procureur général?).

Autograph Letter Signed by 'C. Spence' of Cobham [of the Admiralty] to an unknown correspondent, mentioning the antiquary John Gough Nichols, and carrying the wax seal

Author: 
Charles Spence of the Admiralty, antiquary [John Gough Nichols (1806-1873), printer and antiquary, editor of the Gentleman's Magazine and of the Herald and Genealogist]
Publication details: 
Undated [1860s?].
£56.00

The letter is of 23 lines, written on the front and back of an opened envelope with the cancelled address of 'John Wickham Flower Esq, Park Hill, Croydon'. In good condition, on aged paper. The rear of the envelope carries a good impression of a red wax seal, and the letter begins: 'My dear Sir, I had written this letter having obtained my object through my friend the York Herald and I still send it on account of the Seal which was the counter seal of Richd Neville Earl of Warwick killed at the battle of Barnet'.

Collection of early nineteenth-century red and black wax seals, mostly displayed on leaves of vellum paper, and presented in a wooden box, said to have been collected by Mary Ann Levin Smith, mother of Sir Archibald Levin Smith, Master of the Rolls.

Author: 
[Mary Ann Lee, daughter of Zadik Levin, wife of Francis Smith (1806-1872) of Salt Hill, JP, and mother of Sir Archibald Levin Smith (1836-1901), judge, Master of the Rolls, 1900-1901; sigillography]
Publication details: 
Apparently dating from the first half of the nineteenth century.
£450.00

The collection of 307 seals is in fair condition, with only a handful showing signs of loss. As with bookplates, the designs range from armorial to classical. Among the few carrying English texts, are the seal of the 'ADJUTANT GENERALS OFFICE ROYAL ARTILLERY D', the great seal of the Borough of Marlborough ('SIGILLUM MAJORIS BURGI DE MARLEBERG'), the seal of the 'ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE', the 'OFFICE FOR TAXES', the 'YEOMANRY OFFICE', and 'THE PATRON OF EDUCATION AND THE FRIEND OF THE POOR'. In original boxwood box, approximately 26 x 18 x 6 cm, worn and aged with lock but no key.

Autograph Letter Signed by 'C. Spencer' of Cobham [member of Lord Spencer's Family?] to an unknown correspondent, mentioning the antiquary John Gough Nichols, and carrying the wax seal

Author: 
C. Spencer of Cobham [John Gough Nichols (1806-1873), printer and antiquary, editor of the Gentleman's Magazine and of the Herald and Genealogist]
Autograph Letter Signed by 'C. Spencer' of Cobham
Publication details: 
Undated [1860s?].
£56.00
Autograph Letter Signed by 'C. Spencer' of Cobham

The letter is of 23 lines, written on the front and back of an opened envelope with the cancelled address of 'John Wickham Flower Esq, Park Hill, Croydon'. In good condition, on aged paper. The rear of the envelope carries a good impression of a red wax seal, and the letter begins: 'My dear Sir, I had written this letter having obtained my object through my friend the York Herald and I still send it on account of the Seal which was the counter seal of Richd Neville Earl of Warwick killed at the battle of Barnet'.

Stamped, sealed document appointing Robert William Hopkins of Preston 'to be my Sealer and Deputy Keeper of the Seal [of the Duchy of Lancaster]'.

Author: 
James Graham, 7th Marquis and 4th Duke of Montrose
Publication details: 
26 February 1858[; London].
£45.00

Scottish noble (1799-1874), Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. 1 page, 4to, on blue paper. In good condition despite a number of closed tears. Signed 'Montrose' and with his heavily-smudged red wax seal. Witnessed by 'F. Dawes Danvers | Duchy of Lancaster Office | London'. Decorative blind stamp 'ONE POUND FIFTEEN SHILLINGS', and with ink stamp 'LONDON | 27 . 2 . 58 | D'.

Autograph Letter Signed ('H S Cotton') to William Upcott (1779-1845), Secretary of the London Institution and autograph collector.

Author: 
Rev. Horace Salusbury Cotton (c.1774-1846), Ordinary of Newgate Prison and autograph collector
Publication details: 
20 August 1830; place not stated.
£150.00

One page, octavo. Very good. Docketed at head 'Ordinary of Newgate', and with small fragment of printed slip laid down in top left-hand corner (not affecting text). Reads 'My dear Sir, | A friend of mine lays claim to the Arrandale Peerage & estates - do you happen to possess any documents of any kind which can throw light upon the subject & assist him in the prosecution of his claims - He claims I believe from Lord John Johnstone who was in Newgate for Treason about the year 1700, but was never convicted - Yrs. very truly | H S Cotton'. Addressed to 'William Upcott Esq.

Autograph Letter Signed ('Tho. Roffen.') to Thomas Adams of Alnwick, Northumberland; with the Bishop of Rochester's episcopal seal, in red wax.

Author: 
Thomas Dampier (c.1749-1812), Bishop of Ely and book collector [Bishop of Rochester from 1802 to 1808]
Publication details: 
Harley Street, Septr. 14. 1802.'
£80.00

4to: 1 p. Very good on the first leaf of a bifolium. A third quarto leaf carries the address, in Dampier's hand, with his franking signature 'free | T. Rochester.' Also the oval seal, c.3 cm high, a clear impression in red wax. 24 lines of text. Interesting letter. Dampier begins by thanking Adams for 'your Congratulations to me on my Promotion to the See of Rochester.

Autograph Letter Signed to 'Aunt Emily'.

Author: 
John Byrne Leicester Warren, 3rd Baron de Tabley
Publication details: 
67 Onslow Square; 27 June 1874.
£75.00

English aristocrat (1835-95), poet, numismatist, archaeologist, writer on natural history, etc. Two pages, 12mo. Good, but with blank verso of second leaf of bifoliate adhering to docketed remains of leaf from autograph album. Had he not been 'so busy that I hardly knew where to turn' he would have answered the letter 'on the subject of the seal' sooner.

Sealed indenture: 'Appointment in fee [by Listowel to Oakes] of No. 3 Prince's Terrace Hyde Park in the County of Middlesex'.

Author: 
William Hare, 2nd Earl of Listowel; William Hare, Viscount Ennismore; Orbell Oakes.
Publication details: 
4 August 1855; [London].
£125.00

Listowel was an Anglo-Irish peer (1801-56) and Member of Parliament for Kerry, 1825-30. Ennismore (1833-1924) was his son, later 4th Earl of Listowel. Orbell Oakes, builder of Nowton Court in Bury St Edmunds, was son of the Bury banker James Oakes, and Receiver of Taxes to the West Division. On one side each of four sheets of vellum, dimensions roughly twenty-seven inches by twenty-two inches, each bearing a tax stamp. Signed and witnessed on the reverse of the last sheet. Schedule detailing leases, feoffments, fines and mortgages between 1813 and 1855.

Draught copy of Order in Council, with covering copy of minute signed by Greville.

Author: 
Charles Cavendish Fulke Greville [Tobago, the West Indies]
Publication details: 
At the Court at Windsor | the 18th March 1829'.
£125.00

Clerk to the Privy Council (1794–1865) and noted diarist. Items clearly disbound from volume, with minute foliated '84'. The Order in Council is three pages, folio, on two leaves of gilt-edged laid paper. Good, though slightly discoloured, dusty at head, and with several closed tears and stab marks along one edge. Small square cut away from corner of second leaf (not affecting text). Entirely legible in a clear neat hand.

Autograph Signature, address and seal on fragment of envelope.

Author: 
John Robert Townshend, 3rd Viscount Sydney
Publication details: 
Postmark 'FOOTSCRAY | DE 14 | 1840'.
£35.00

Sydney (1805-1890) became 1st Earl Sydney in 1874. The front part of an envelope, dimensions roughly 3 inches by 8 inches. In good condition, but with traces of previous mounting on otherwise-blank reverse. Circular crested seal in red wax, roughly 1/2 inch in diameter. Reads 'H M S. | The Secretary to the Board of Ordnance | Pall Mall | London | Sydney'.

frank to John Browning

Author: 
John Charles Spencer, Viscount Althorp [later 3rd Earl Spencer]
Publication details: 
envelope with two postmarks and seal in red wax, 16mo, 26 October 1836, Leamington
£35.00

English Whig statesman, relation of Princess Diana and of Prince William. The envelope is in very frail condition, torn, frayed and discoloured, with some loss. Addressed 'Leamington Oct twenty six | 1834 | John Browning Esq | Viscount Althorp | Downing Street | London | Althorp'. The postmark on the front is in red ink, with a crown topping a circle containing 'FREE | 27OC27 | 1834'; the postmark on the reverse is in black ink, with 'LEAMINGTON' in a circle containing 'OC26 | 1834'. Red wax seal bearing Althorp crest on reverse.

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