A 16th/17th century part armorial bookclasp
£275
Auction: 22 February 2017 at 11:00 GMT
Description
maker's mark only, IN, of oval form with engraved shield and foliate clasped detail, with old envelope written 'Clasp belonging to the A**** Book at the Library at Seaton Pagnell'
Dimensions
Width: 52mm
Footnote
The arms as engraved upon this Bookclasp by I.N. are those of the family of Rokeby impaling Danby. These armorial bearings denote the marshalling of a marital coat showing on the dexter (the heraldic right on the left as you view the piece) the arms of the husband and on the sinister (the heraldic left on the right as you view it) the arms of the wife. They may be blazoned as follows:
Arms:
(on the dexter) Argent a chevron between three rooks sable (for Rokeby)
(on the sinister) Argent three chevrons braced sable on a chief of the second as many mullets of the first (for Danby)
These armorial bearings undoubtedly commemorate the marriage of Ralph Rokeby (born 1467 died 11th May 1518), of Mortham in the County of Yorkshire and Margaret (Margery) Danby (born circa 1465 died 27th December 1540). Ralph and Margaret were married at Wormsley in the County of Oxfordshire (now Buckinghamshire) circa 1488. Ralph was the son of Sir Thomas Rokeby, of Mortham and his wife, Elizabeth Ayscough, whilst Margaret was the daughter and co-heiress of Robert Danby, of Yafford in the County of Yorkshire and his wife, Margaret, daughter of Sir Richard Conyers. As will be seen from the photograph of the bookclasp below it is accompanied with a handwritten label which reads ‘Clasp
belonging to the [Ayscough’s] Book at the Library at Hooton Pagnell’ which
undoubtedly refers to the Ayscough family, the maternal family of Margaret’s husband, Sir Thomas Rokeby. How the book or its clasp ended up in the Library at Hooton Pagnell Hall is a mystery, but may well have occurred through inheritance or purchase, although further research may give the answer. Hooton Pagnell Hall, is in the village of that name near to Doncaster in today’s County of South Yorkshire. The hall has been owned by the Warde family since the 17th Century, although they now go by the name of Warde-Norbury. They descend from Sir Patience Warde, a former
Lord Mayor of London.