Cloth Seal, William III, Alnage, Crown

Cloth Seal, William III, Alnage, Crown, Image & Found by Jason Sandy.
Found on Thames Foreshore, ?mm.

Blank // bust facing right // Crown 1 1/2 beneath // H?

Inner discs of a four disc alnage seal showing head of William III, possible inscription around (illegible). On the other disc crown with 1 1/2 beneath, all in double circle border.

William III is recognised by his hook nose. See p.64, Geoff Egan, 'Lead Cloth Seals and Related Items in the British Museum' Occasional Paper 93, "William III ... can be identified from his hooked nose. ... parallels with the same stamp on the third disc provide evidence for this attribution ... backed up by the RWR ligature" and Endrei, W. and Egan, G. 1982. ‘The sealing of cloth in Europe, with special reference to the English evidence’, Textile History, 13, 47-75, - Fig.10 (a).

The 1 1/2 refers to the alnage subsidy paid on the cloth this was attached to.