"Not Lost But Gone Before" Seal Fob
Georgian Regency Period miniature fob with a black glass 'Tassie' intaglio seal set in the base. The wax imprint created by the seal depicts Cupid, the Roman god of love and desire, standing beside a tombstone holding his burning torch of passion facing down (symbolic of death) alongside the words NOT LOST BUT GONE BEFORE. The Georgians, and of course the Victorians after, built a whole culture around mourning mottos and symbols, as well as strict social protocols that people had to adhere to (in polite society, at least). In a time before antibiotics (and basic hygiene as we know it today), people had a much closer relationship with death, so this wax imprint would have been used to give the recipient a head's up on the letter's tragic content.
The fob is beautifully detailed, with little fleur-de-lis motifs over a hatched ground around the base and a looping frame leading up to the bail. It's crafted in gilt metal.
These miniature seal fobs came to us as a twenty piece collection, likely owned by a scribe. The Georgian Regency era, officially 1811-1820, arguably saw the pinnacle of letter writing. The educated upper classes would have been able to write their own letters, and indeed seal them closed with their own personal intaglio (perhaps a family crest or monogram, or, if titled, their own heraldic shield), but anyone else who wanted to correspond via letter was unlikely to have learned to read and write, so would have employed the services of their local scribe. For a small fee, the scribe would write down a dictated letter, then offer the sender a choice of seals by which to secure the envelope. The seals would, then, have to convey a broad selection of messages - some serious, some jovial, some thoroughly tongue in cheek - and not being from the upper classes themselves, the scribe certainly wouldn't have had the financial means to purchase a set of solid gold seal fobs... gold cased or gilt would certainly have done the job.
Era: Georgian, circa 1820
Size: 20mm by 12.7mm
Materials: Glass Tassie Seal
Marks: None, tested as gilt metal
Condition: Good antique condition, light wear consistent with age
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[Last updated: September 15th, 2025]
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Condition
We offer detailed and accurate condition reports on each listing. These pieces are antique, vintage, or pre-loved and often over 100 years old so they're going to have lived a life. A healthy patina and the odd scuff or scrape is quite normal... it's part of their charm! Everything we present has been checked over by our jeweller and should be good for wear for many years to come (unless otherwise stated) but please remember to treat them with appropriate care and consideration for their age.
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