Lot 174
THE VISCOUNT HILLSBOROUGH PERSONAL DESK SEAL
AN EARLY 18TH CENTURY LIGNUM VITAE AND SILVER DESK SEAL
Auction: 16 September 2025 from 10:00 BST
Description
The turned lignum vitae handle of baluster form, to a steel collar and oval matrix engraved with the coat of arms for the Hill family
Dimensions
10cm overall, 3.2cm x 2.6cm
Provenance
Sotheby's, Private Collection, 21st May 2019, lot 36
The Matrix Collection
Footnote
Trevor Hill (1693-1742)
The first Viscount Hillsborough and Baron Hill of Kilwarlin in the County of Down on the 21st August 1717. He married Mary Denton (1684-1742) and had their child Wills Hill on the 30th May 1718.
Partly known for reckless spending, gambling debts, and even a scandalous incident involving riding naked with young women, which led to being whipped by a local carter in Buckinghamshire.
The office is presently held by Arthur Francis Nichola Wills Hill, 9th Marquess of Downshire.