Italian, Customs, Bologna (Papal States customs seal)

Italian, Bologna (Papal States customs seal), Image by Derfel, Found by Peter Olivant.
Found on Thames Fore Shore, 18mm.

1(8?)25 BOLOGNA around, and PONTIFICIO (D)OGANE DO(INI)O around that // ornate cross? with flower heads to sides, GOLLI DA...S around and further inscription around that, which includes 1825

From Paul Cannon, "I think this is a Papal States customs seal for the city of Bologna ie before the unification of Italy. The inscription seems to read DOM[INI]O PONTIFICIO DOGANE ie Papal control customs. The other face is poorly preserved. For another example apparently dated 1826 see [url= https://www.kijiji.it/annunci/antiquariato/perugia-annunci-citta-di-castello/sigillo-vecchio-de-1826-l-198/32218870]DaWanda, vecchio sigillo (L-198)[/url].

The following two seals from the British Museum throw a little more light onto this Bologna seal. The BM examples both incorporate a design described as ‘a parasol and flowers’ or ‘umbrella between two flowers’ and the inscription “COLLI DA PASSO”. Knowing this I can just about make out the word ‘PASSO’ on the Bagseals one. All of these elements clearly match the Bologna example. One of the BM seals has the name Civita Vecchia, the port west of Rome. The Bologna seal is therefore one of a series issued by the Papal States.
BM Collection Online No. 1910,0407.74 & BM Collection Online No. OA.9262. ... see also PAS LON-EB0144."