SEALS

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.

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?).

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'.

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'.

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'.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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'.

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.