Amethyst Owl Fob Seal

Impressive late Georgian 18 carat gold and amethyst fob seal with an armorial depicting an owl, spread eagles, and ermine tails.c.1800.

Intaglio 1inch by 3/4inch, length of pendant 1.25inch.

The armorial belongs to a female predecessor of the Barony of St.Oswald and came from the collection of the late Dowager Lady St.Oswald.(1928-2023).

The family seat is Nostell Priory, near Crofton, West Yorkshire.

The history of this important treasure house is well documented but I am yet to discover exactly who this seal commemorates. It is certainly a female member of the family due to the cartouche shaped armorial.It is possibly the mourning seal for Sabine Louise Winn(1734-1798) a Swiss patron of the arts and a pioneering textile artist who married Rowland Winn(Fifth Baronet) in 1761.