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Lot Essay
The early 19th century red velvet bourse (purse), for George III's Great Seal of England granted to his Lord Chancellor John Scott, 1st Earl of Eldon (d.1838), is sumptuously worked with silver and silver-gilt threads, and bespangled and pearled in raised bas-relief with the Royal coat of arms within a flowered border enriched with cornucopiae and cherubim heads at centres and corners in the 17th century fashion.
John Scott, 1st Earl of Eldon (1751-1838) was Chancellor to George III and George IV and having struggled to return to power under William IV, died in the reign of Queen Victoria. In 1800 a fresh bourse, possibly this one, would have been embroidered with the New Royal Arms, adopted upon the Act of Union. Lord Loughborough would have surrendered the Great Seal in it. At the King's death in 1820 all seals were defaced and became the property of their holders. Presumably this bourse with obsolete device 'GR' became a perquisite of Eldon at the same time.
John Scott, 1st Earl of Eldon (1751-1838) was Chancellor to George III and George IV and having struggled to return to power under William IV, died in the reign of Queen Victoria. In 1800 a fresh bourse, possibly this one, would have been embroidered with the New Royal Arms, adopted upon the Act of Union. Lord Loughborough would have surrendered the Great Seal in it. At the King's death in 1820 all seals were defaced and became the property of their holders. Presumably this bourse with obsolete device 'GR' became a perquisite of Eldon at the same time.