Cloth Seal, Alnage, Lennox, 1620

Cloth Seal, Alnage, Lennox, 1620, Image & Found by Tony Thira.
Found on Thames Foreshore, Dowgate, 14mm, 6g.

Dotted pentagram in dot & link circular border, (SEARC)HED dotted pentagram around // stylised K / 1620 (retrograde) // arms of Stuart Britain, LEN O X around // VII / VIIII

An opened four-disc alnage seal dated 1620 showing the common engraver's mirror-image mistake. The 'K' could be interpreted as a different symbol or ligate monogram but K is known on other Lenox seals - BSG.CS.00935 & BSG.CS.01543. Although only Lenox is is written on the seal and there is no trace of the more usual LR ligature this seal is still considered to be issued under the the Dukes and Duchesses of Lennox and Richmond as they held the major alnage patent rights for England and Wales from 1605 until the system finished in 1724.

The rivet disc bears a searchers mark that highlights a dotted pentagram that can also be found on BSG.CS.01406 and other State Subsidy seals. The rove disc & rivet stub probably show the length and weight of the measured cloth in Roman numerals.

Also recorded as PAS PUBLIC - 309E09.