An early 19th century rock crystal swivel seal
£563
Auction: 25 September 2019 at 11:00 BST
Description
composed of two armorials and one double portrait intaglio, the mount of of scrolling form, unmarked, the armorials for The Counts Chotek von Chotkow und Wognin
Dimensions
Height: 50mm
Footnote
The armorial bearings as depicted intaglio upon this triple-sided rock crystal seal fob dating to the early 19th Century (prior to 1808) are those of the Counts Chotek von Chotkow und Wognin.
The prime candidate who used these seals as his personal signets is probably Johann Nepomuk Rudolf, Count Chotek von Chotkow und Wognin (born 18th May 1748 died 26th August 1824). He was the only son of Johann Karl, Count Chotek of Chotkow and Wognin and his wife, Countess Anna Maria Kottulinsky of Kottulin and Krzizkowitz. Johann was a member of a Czech noble family in the Kingdom of Bohemia being an Imperial civil servant who served the Holy Roman Emperors, Joseph II and Leopold II in succession. At one time Johann was an Austrian finance minister and served as Government President in the Kingdom of Bohemia. He married Countess Maria Sidonia of Clary and Aldringen (born 1748 died 1824) on the 18th May 1772 at Vienna.
During their marriage they had eight children. In 1808, Johann was appointed as a Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece which allows a date for the manufacture of this seal fob to be prior to Johann’s appointment to this order, for the arms as engraved upon two of the sides of this seal fob does not display the collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece whereas the seal as used by Johann after 1808 does indeed show the collar
A portrait of Johann Nepomuk Rudolf, Count Chotek von Chotkow und Wognin (1748 – 1824) exists and was painted after 1808 as it shows the neck badge of the Order of the Golden Fleece. This portrait has a striking resemblance to the intaglio carving of the gentleman found within the double profile portrait on the third side of this seal.