MEDIEVAL SEAL MATRIX

1200

Round seal, little trefoil handle. Molham = Middleham. Centre shield with crescent moons and stars.The drawing shows a seal matrix with a conical handle rising to a double collar below a trefoil loop. The circular die is engraved with an armorial shield with a narrow saltire overlain in the centre with an annulet. In the angles of the saltire are (above and below) a crescent, and (to either side) a star, apparently with six points. There is a branched design, perhaps mantling, filling the space to either side of the shield. The inscription around is between two borders, probably originally beaded, and appears to read +S' WILMIE DMA-DE-MOLhAM. 13th or 14th century.