Cloth Seal, French, Nimes Silk / Serge Seal, Image & Found by Bob Marcotte.
Found in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, 10mm.
Crocodile beneath a palm tree, NIS MES to sides // POUR / LES / TRAN / GERS, .CAS(TANET FRE)RES. around
Identified by Philippe Lanez as a seal from NÎMES (written NIS/MES).
From Daniel Slowik, "a seal of the silk bonnet factory of the Castinet de Nîmes brothers. This lead concerns a production destined for abroad, therefore woven with two threads. 18th century. Reverse legend: "CASTANET FRERES POUR LESTRANGER."
The finder of this seal has kindly donated it to the collection of Daniel Slowik who is an expert on these and other French seals.