Cloth Seal, Clothier's (Blackwell Hall Factors), London, K & Thos Andrews, Image & Held by Mike Patrick.
Bought in England, 27mm.
Mostly missing, probable numbers above and below horizontal line all scratched // LON. / DON, ..Wm & THOs. ANDREWS around
Unusually this cloth seal remnant appears to be the rove disc and rivet stub. The outer of the rivet disc seems to have been broken away - probably during removal from the cloth. (Normally it is the rove disc that breaks away leaving the rivet stub attached to the rivet disc.)
From Paul Cannon, "I suggest that this seal relates to William and Thomas Andrews, Blackwell Hall factors. For their insurance details see - London Metropolitan Archives: City of London. This records that both men insured properties at 6 & 7 Basinghall Street, London in 1797 and were described as ‘factors’. Blackwell Hall was situated at the south end of Basinghall Street and was the centre for the wool and cloth trade in England from mediaeval times until the early 19th century. Blackwell Hall Factors were agents who charged a fee to handle the trade and very many of them had premises in Basinghall Street. For a short history of Blackwell Hall and the factors see Wikipedia. In closely looking at the images I feel fairly sure I can see a ‘W’ and based on the available space and the way Thomas’ name is abbreviated it may read ‘Wm & Thos ANDREWS’.