Medieval Silver-Gilt 'Believe Me' Seal Matrix Cap

14TH-15TH CENTURY A.D.

1/2 in. (0.95 grams, 12 mm).

Displaying an embossed bird within a roundel, Latin inscription '+ CREDE : MIChI' ('Believe Me') surrounding; the side edge inscribed 'GRADEMARI[A]'.

Provenance

Acquired from a London gallery in 1990.
Ex property of a North London gentleman.

Literature

Cf. Leahy and Lewis, Finds Identified, BM, 2018, pp.138-139, for similar examples; Hammond, A., Benet's Artefacts, Coggeshall, 2021, pp.703, 729.

Footnotes

A wide range of people would have used a seal, from the monarch to small landowners and tradespeople, anyone with a need for business or legal documents. Individuals had personal seals, but seals were also used by official bodies such as town corporations, trade and religious guilds, cathedrals, abbeys and monasteries, having religious inscriptions like in this one.

CONDITION

VETTING:

TimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process

AUCTIONS:

TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.

LOT 0387