Lot 224
AN IMPRESSION OF THE SEAL OF SCONE ABBEY
Scottish Silver & Applied Arts
Auction: 16 August 2017 at 12:00 BST
Description
the round wax seal impression with Alexander III being crowned with attendants flanking
Dimensions
Diameter: 8.5cm
Footnote
Note: The seal impression comes from the Great Seal of Scotland under King Alexander III. Alexander, grandson of William The Lion, was crowned aged 7 on the 13th Jul 1249 at Scone and in this impression he can be seen sitting atop the Stone of Scone (Stone of Destiny). Alexander reigns was not to be simple one, with the warring factions from Norway which he deftly negotiated and won back the isles of Scotland (reducing their claim to only Orkney and Shetland) to fraught relationships with his father in law Henry III of England.
Alexander died heirless and in tragic circumstances in 1286, falling from his horse while riding at night through Kinghorn in Fife. This left the country without a monarch and for six years was run by Guardians of Scotland until in 1292 John Balliol was inaugurated as King.