Seal

Object/Artifact

Historic Hudson Valley

Name/Title

Seal

Entry/Object ID

VC.80.1

Description

Seal in three parts: Plain, thin, gold ring (overall diameter 5/16") decorated with floral and foliate designs and the seal itself; seal handle has hole for gold ring, at top of hole is a tiny finial, with foliate device on either side; below it 2 leaves in the form of C-curves open out and are connected to 2 leaves below them curling back in; below these elements is the dome-shaped portion of the seal; at the top a pattern, then a band of leaves and acorns, then flowers and leaves bordering the flat carnelian stone cut with the Van Cortlandt family coat-of-arms and motto in banner beneath it (letters cut in reverse); "Virtue sibi munus" (Virtue through service).

Collection

Van Cortlandt Manor Object Collection

Made/Created

Artist Information

Artist

Unknown

Attribution

Maker

Date made

1768 - 1833

Dimensions

Dimension Description

Overall

Height

2-15/16 in

Depth

1-1/4 in

Diameter

5/16 in

Dimension Notes

Display Dimensions: 2 15/16 x 1 1/4 x 5/16 in. (7.5 x 3.2 x 0.8 cm)

Material

Gold, carnelian, pinchbeck

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Pierre Van Cortlandt (1721-1814)

Notes

Former owner

General Notes

Note Type

Curatorial Remarks

Note

Pinchbeck: An alloy of copper and zinc similar to brass but with rather more copper in it, invented by a London watchmaker Christopher Pinchbeck (fl. 1695-1732). The cheaper types of watchcases, snuff-boxes, etc. which were made of it were gilt and when the gilding wore off at the edges the difference in colour was barely perceptible.

Note Type

General Note

Note

Van Cortlandt family possession

Note Type

StorageNote

Note

Home Location: Historic Hudson Valley, Union Church, Storage, Shelf 13B