Seal
1815-20 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This type of seal is known as a fob seal. It would have been attached to a gentleman’s watch chain and worn just below the waist from a small trouser pocket known as a ‘fob’. Seals were functional as well as decorative items, at a time when letters had to be sealed with wax. The three-sided topaz of this swivelling seal is engraved with a scene of smoke billowing from burning ships at the Battle of Trafalgar of 1805 (when the British under Nelson defeated the French). The inscription reads ‘ENGLAND EXPECTS THAT EVERY MAN THIS DAY WILL DO HIS DUTY’. The words were engraved in reverse so that they would be the right way round on the sealing wax. The deeply chased scrolls and flowers of the gold mount are typical of the Rococo Revival of the early 19th century.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Engraved citrine mounted in gold |
| Brief description | England, about 1815-20 Gold, with citrine, one face with an intaglio with the Battle of Trafalgar (1805) Inscribed, 'England expects that every man this day will do his duty' |
| Physical description | Gold with citrine, one face with an intaglio with Battle of Trafalgar (1805) Inscribed 'England expects that every man this day will do his duty.' |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | 'England expects that every man this day will do his duty.' |
| Credit line | Bequeathed by Miss P. M. Sheward |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This type of seal is known as a fob seal. It would have been attached to a gentleman’s watch chain and worn just below the waist from a small trouser pocket known as a ‘fob’. Seals were functional as well as decorative items, at a time when letters had to be sealed with wax. The three-sided topaz of this swivelling seal is engraved with a scene of smoke billowing from burning ships at the Battle of Trafalgar of 1805 (when the British under Nelson defeated the French). The inscription reads ‘ENGLAND EXPECTS THAT EVERY MAN THIS DAY WILL DO HIS DUTY’. The words were engraved in reverse so that they would be the right way round on the sealing wax. The deeply chased scrolls and flowers of the gold mount are typical of the Rococo Revival of the early 19th century. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.105-1945 |
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| Record created | February 10, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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