Desk seal: M.85-1930

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Maker: Unknown

Entities

Desk seal

Categories

Seals

Description

Desk seal with lapis lazuli sealstone and carved coral column with gold terminal cast as Cupid

Lapis lazuli and carved coral with cast and chased gold terminal and mounts. Circular lapis lazuli sealstone, not engraved; the mount with moulded borders. Cylindrical coral handle carved with a frieze of Cupid holding an inverted torch in his right hand while leading a dog ridden by another cupid. Above is a flared mount with an applied border of fleurs-de-lis and rope edged border. The terminal in the form of Cupid holding a quiver behind his back and with his ankle chained to a tree stump.

Notes

History note: Frank Gray Smart

Legal notes

From the Frank Smart Collection, given by T.J.G. Duncanson

Measurements and weight

Height: 1.5 cm
Length: 5.4 cm
Width: 1.5 cm

Relative size of this object

What does this represent?

Relative size of this object is displayed using code inspired by Good Form and Spectacle's work on the British Museum's Waddeson Bequest website and their dimension drawer. They chose a tennis ball to represent a universally sized object, from which you could envisage the size of an object.

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1930-02-14) by Duncanson, T. J. G.

Dating

19th/early 20th century
Circa 1800 CE - Circa 1910 CE

People, subjects and objects depicted

Components of the work

Sealstone composed of lapis lazuli Diameter 1.4 cm
Handle composed of coral
Mount composed of gold
Terminal composed of gold
Coral Column Height 1 cm

References and bibliographic entries

Classical Gems, Ancient and Modern Intaglios and Cameos in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge page(s): 410

Identification numbers

Accession number: M.85-1930
Primary reference Number: 154290
Old object number: M.2-1930
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Thursday 10 December 2015

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Cite this record

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:


            The Fitzwilliam Museum (2023) "Desk seal" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/154290 Accessed: 2023-03-26 04:43:59

Citation for Wikipedia

To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:


            {{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/154290
            |title=Desk seal
            |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2023-03-26 04:43:59|publisher=The
            University of Cambridge}}

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https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/api/v1/objects/object-154290

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