Lot 279
THE EMERSON PERSONAL DESK SEAL
A 19TH CENTURY CITRINE AND WOODEN PERSONAL DESK SEAL
Auction: 03 March 2026 from 10:00 GMT
Description
The turned wooden handle of baluster form, to a fluted white metal collar with embossed foliate scroll border, the citrine matrix engraved with the arms of Emerson
Dimensions
9.5cm overall, 2.6cm x 2.7cm (matrix)
Footnote
Heraldry:
The Arms of Emerson
Arms: Quarterly 1st and 4th Per fess indented or and vert on a bend engrailed argent three lions passant argent (for Emerson) 2nd and 3rd Azure a crescent between three mullets and within a bordure all argent (for Arbuthnot)
Crests: (Dexter) A demi-lion rampant (……?) grasping in both
paws a battle axe (……?) (for Emerson)
(Sinister) A peacock’s head couped proper (for Arbuthnot)
Motto: Laus Deo [Praise God] (for Arbuthnot)
It is most likely that this seal was in possession of one of the sons of William Emerson (born 22nd April 1771 died 1st May 1821), of Ardmore in the County of Armagh and his wife, Sarah Arbuthnot (born circa 1770/71 died circa December 1851).
There are three candidates for the ownership of this desk seal. They are as follows:
1) George Emerson (born 4th July 1792 died 23rd August 1859).
2)Arbuthnot Emerson (born 22nd June 1802 died 24th May 1857)
3)Sir James Emerson (later Emerson-Tennant) (born 7th April 1804 died 6th March 1869).
James served as the Member of Parliament in the House of Commons at Westminster for Belfast (1832 – 37 and 1838 – 45) and Lisburn (January – December 1852). He was also a Barrister having been called to the Bar at Lincoln’s Inn in 1831. His parliamentary career was not great, but he was appointed as the resident Colonial Secretary of Ceylon (1846 – 50) during which he served briefly as the Governor of Ceylon (1847). Upon his retirement from the Commons, he was created as a Baronet within the Baronetage of the United Kingdom, styled ‘of Tempo Manor in the Chapelry of Tempo in the County of Fermanagh’ on the 14th February 1867. He also received the honour of knighthood in 1845 prior to his appointment as Colonial Secretary of Ceylon. In 1831, he married Letitia, the daughter and co-heiress to the mercantile fortune of her father, the Belfast merchant-patrician (and former United Irishman) William Tennent.