Seal and Case thumbnail 1
Seal and Case thumbnail 2
+5
images

Seal and Case

ca. 1580 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Sapphire seal engraved with the arms of Knyvett and mounted in enamelled gold, with a gold case, also enamelled.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Seal
  • Sealcase
Materials and techniques
Engraved sapphire mounted in enamelled gold
Brief description
Sapphire seal engraved with the arms of Knyvett and mounted in enamelled gold, with a gold case, also enamelled, England, ca.1580
Physical description
Sapphire seal engraved with the arms of Knyvett and mounted in enamelled gold, with a gold case, also enamelled.
Marks and inscriptions
engraved with the arms of Knyvett (Probably the personal seal of Sir Thomas Knyvett (1539-1618))
Gallery label
Treasures of the Royal Courts: Tudors, Stuarts and the Russian Tsars label text:

The Knyvett Seal and Case
About 1580–90

This seal was designed to be worn as a pendant. It was commissioned by a member of the Knyvett family, possibly Sir Thomas Knyvett. In 1605 he
arrested Guy Fawkes in Westminster preparing to blow up James I and the House of Lords.

England
Gold, enamel, mounted with a sapphire intaglio
Engraved with the Knyvett coat of arms
V&A M.52&A-1980
Object history
When the seal was acquired in 1980 it was suggested that the most likely owner of the seal was Sir Thomas Knyvett (1539-1618), grandson of Sir Thomas Knyvett, Master of the Horse to Henry VIII. Sir Thomas the younger was knighted in 1579/80 when he was made High Sheriff of Norfolk, and he was married to Muriel, daughter of Sir Thomas Parr, Treasurer of the Household to Queen Elizabeth.

However, the seal might also have been commissioned by other grandsons: Sir Henry Knyvett (1537?-1598), who was knighted in 1574, or his younger brother, Sir Thomas Knyvett (1545/6-1622). The last was Keeper of Westminster Palace, Groom of the Privy Chamber, knighted in 1601, a Member of Parliament, and created a peer in 1607. He had done long service at court, and the peerage recognised this and the fact that it was he who arrested Guy Fawkes under the House of Lords in 1605.
Subject depicted
Association
Bibliographic reference
Vanke, Francesca. Catalogue entry. In: The Paston Treasure. Microcosm of the Known World, ed. by Andrew Moore, Nathan Flis, and Francesca Vanke. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2018. ISBN: 9780300232905 030023290X. Published to accompany the exhibitions 'The Paston Treasure: Microcosm of the Known World' and 'The Paston Treasure: Riches and Rarities of the Known World', co-organized by the Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, on view 15 February-27 May 2018, and Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery, on view 23 June-23 September 2018.
Collection
Accession number
M.52&A-1980

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdAugust 2, 2005
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest