Cloth Seal, Colchester Dutch Community Seal, Tubular with Crown

Cloth Seal, Colchester Dutch Community Seal, Tubular with Crown, Image & Found by José de Sousa.
Found in the Algarve, Portugal, 29.28 x 16.35mm, 6.19g.

Crown with semi-circles to right and left, secondary stamp of T or cross potent // blank but tear from removal from threads or attachment cord

A tubular or 'pipe' seal are believed to be used by the Dutch immigrant weavers. The crown on this one suggest Essex and most probably Colchester.

See No.37 Fig.15, Geoff Egan, 'Lead Cloth Seals and Related Items in the British Museum' Occasional Paper 93.

This seal is evidence of the cloth trade between Colchester and Portugal.