Lot 229
THE HEVER FAMILY DESK SEAL
A FINE MID-19TH CENTURY MALACHITE, BLOODSTONE AND AGATE MULTI-MATRIX DESK SEAL
Estimate: £3,000 - £5,000
Auction: 17 September 2024 from 10:00 BST
Description
modelled as an armoured arm, oval matrix to terminal, engraved with HEVER and a Baron's coronet, the scroll engraved gauntlet holding a scroll, the scroll set to each terminal, with initials B & E
Dimensions
10cm (high overall), 1.5cm x 1.7cm (matrix)
Provenance
The Matrix Collection
Footnote
Hever Castle in Kent belonged to the Boelyn family where Anne grew up before being sent to France.
In the early 20th century it was taken over by Viscount Astor.
William Waldorf Astor (1848 –1919) was created Viscount in 1917 for his work in finance and politics particularly in New York where he inherited his fortune. At the time of 1890 he was the second richest man in America. He moved to England in 1891 and became a British citizen as he was sceptical of the press and hated being in the spotlight. So much so that in 1892 he faked his own death. Unfortunately he was soon found out, perhaps consequently he sought about purchasing media outlets including the Pall Mall Gazette and the Observer.
