Seal Fob - How Old?

[RelicHunter97]

Hi all!

Gosh, it's been a while since I've posted on here. I haven't been out much lately unfortunately. Hoping to change that soon!

Was just looking through an old SD card and found my photos from 2014, when I spent the summer at an 1833 farmhouse and spent every day detecting the property. I was reminded of a seal fob I found, my very first! It managed to retain a bit of the chain, and features swans facing opposite directions as the top part, with a woman's bust and a floral design on the seal itself. Unfortunately, it's a bit mangled and the stone is filled with cracks and chips, although it is still clear what the image is. I was curious as to how old it is. I'm guessing 1830s-1840s, but really I have no idea. Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks for reading and Happy Hunting!

-Anthony

 

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[Hawks88]

Nice find. Congrats

 

[huntsman53]

No idea on the age but it is a beautiful piece.

 

[releventchair]

Those metal figures remind me of Chinese dragon or fish /sea serpant ,rather than swans .
Don't recall the dynasty ,but dragon figures were similar to those "fish" shapes.

https://www.decaso.com/product/1030382/bronze-mythical-sea-serpent

 

[Brendan75]

Hi, wow that is a great find. A bucket Lister for sure

 

[releventchair]

[A few paces across the gallery take you all the way from the coasts of Borneo to the former Kingdom of Derge, high in the Himalayan peaks of Tibet, and takes our watery connection in a slightly different direction. This extremely rare piece of Derge ware is an iron water bottle covered in silver and gold ornamentation and bound with brass. The hexagonal spout rises from the mouth of a sea monster at the base, and anyone looking closely at the handle will notice that it is in the form of a dragon.

The dragon, or zhug, is a deity in Tibetan mythology. Influenced by the dragons of Chinese and Indian culture, Tibetan dragons are believed to have control over the rainfall and represent water. The dragon keeping a close eye on this water container was presented to Frederick Williamson, a Cambridge graduate and Political Officer of the British Raj, by the Prime Minister of Tibet in 1933 and deposited in the museum by his wife, Margaret, in 1976.]

 

[RelicHunter97]

I just dug this piece out of storage - it took a minute of looking at it but as soon as I wet it a little the image of the fish serpent jumped out at me (figuratively, of course.) Can't believe I never saw that before! Also, upon closer inspection the woman looks possibly of asian descent. I wish I had some wax to make a stamp!

 

[Underwonder]

Definitely very cool looking! Nice find.

 

[Deftone]

https://www.rubylane.com/item/465689-09180/Victorian-Antique-Wax78-Seal-Intaglio-Fob

 

[A2coins]

really awesome find