Wednesday 17 December 2014

The 12 Seals of Christmas #9

 
 
 
 
Another Royal Seal today, that of George II. This, quite frankly enormous, seal is attached to a gift of £200 per year out of the rents and revenues of the Bishopric of Orkney. The recipient was Sholto Charles Douglas, Lord Aberdour. The document is dated 26th February 1754.
 
 
According to the National Archive's wonderful Currency Converter, this would be a yearly income equivalent to £14,958 in 2005's money.
 
Orkney Archive Reference: D38/2323

4 comments:

  1. I am really enjoying your 12 seals of Christmas series! Just wondering though --why are you doing a currency conversion to 2005 money? Is the year 2005 significant to Seal, perhaps, in a way that 2014 is not? :-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you very much Jean! What is more festive than old bits of wax? Sadly, the 2005 conversion is not a knowing nod to an event in the life of Seal; it is just that the National Archive's currency converter has not been updated since then.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi, it's me again! ^_^ I've been peeping into the Seal show. What fun!

    Is this seal in two parts? I suppose that would protect the wax impression, if it is in two parts.

    It's amazing the amount of detail that could be put into these little seals. It reminds me of the Babylonian royal seals. Those were made on clay tubes, which were rolled across wet clay to leave the stamped impressions.

    Well, I must run for now, but thank you again for intriguing and enlightening us.

    Sue.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Sue,

    Some of the very large seals in our collection have their own metal cases with a bottom and a lid. These helped to protect the wax when the seal was hanging below the document.

    Glad you have been enjoying the festive wax show!

    ReplyDelete

Are you delighted by what you have just read? Are you revulsed and appalled? Do let us know, we'd love to hear from you.