Cloth Seal, French, Nimes Silk / Serge Seal

Cloth Seal, French, Nimes Silk / Serge Seal, Image by Pamela Hawley, Found by her 8yo Granddaughter.
Found in Virginia, USA, 15mm.

Fleur-de-lis, (PIERRE)*GAS* around // crocodile chained to tree COL NE(M) to sides
* - pierced mullets

Probably dates to the end of the end of the 18th century to 19th century - see BSG.CS.01256.

From Paul Cannon,
"I think the name on this seal is probably ‘PIERRE GAS’, around a lys. It is recorded in Daniel Slowik’s catalogue “Les plombs de scellé; L’industrie de la soie de Nîmes” (2016), pp54-55. He illustrates three seals all with this name. Slowik’s discussion about Pierre Gas contains the following, ‘Ce nom est très répandu à Nîmes, mais pas de Pierre retrouvè dans les métiers de la soie.’ Ie ‘This name is very common in Nîmes, but no Pierre found in the silk trades.’ For an example of this seal on line see Artefacts©, Online Encyclopedia of Archaeological Small Finds (about ¾ way down). This particular seal is labelled SCL-9007."

From Philippe Lanez, "We can add that the name of the place NÎMES is inscribed under the palm tree on the seal. Genealogical research gives a Pierre Gas, working as "tafetassier" when he married Suzanne Lauze in Nîmes on june 3rd 1831. Pierre's father an grand father, both Etienne) were farmers. ... As to Pierre GAS, we can find one born 1782/03/19. Son of Jacques GAS and Anne BARRY. He contracted marriage on 12/07/1802 (gregorian calendar) or 23 messidor an 10 of the revolution one, with Françoise Suzanne DUPLAN aged 16, daughter to Marc DUPLAN and Anne PUGET. At that time Pierre GAS was known as "faiseur de bas" = stockings weaver (manufacturer)."

From Things to See in the Languedoc: Historic Cities: Nîmes "The city’s coat of arms shows a crocodile chained to a palm tree - the device dates back to Roman times and commemorates the defeat of Mark Anthony on the Nile by the Emperor Augustus. The connection is that Augustus rewarded his legionaries with grants of land in the Roman colony here. ...... In the Middle Ages wool and silk industries brought wealth to the city. It was here that a particularly adaptable type of serge material originated. Serge “De Nîmes”, hence denim, found its way to America in 1870."

Many more examples of various Nimes cloth seals can be seen on Euro-Plombs.