Unidentified Stamps

Fairbairn’s Crests gives several examples of a dragon’s or wyvern’s head crest, but none of them corresponds to the arms described in Burke’s General armory. Despite the fact that the second initial is W, this stamp might be of continental origin.

In 1696 the initial and coronet suggest the following British earls, Bedford (Russell), Bridgewater (Egerton), Bristol (Digby), Bolingbroke (St John), Berkshire (Howard), Banbury (Knowles), Bath (Grenville), Burlington (Boyle), Berkeley, and Bradford (Newport). The style of the stamp suggests that it is contemporary to the book. The style of the initial B is very similar to that used by the Dukes of Buccleuch. However, Anne Scott, Countess of Buccleuch should be discounted, since she used the title for only 3 years, 1661-1663, when she married James Croft who became the Duke of Buccleuch.

This is not the stamp of Bernard Capes of Winchester in Hampshire, the novelist, as suggested by Clements. The Christian names of Capes were Edward Joseph. There are no book collectors with the initials B R C to be found in Hazlitt's Roll of Honour. However, the latter source does list Benjamin Coulson Robinson, sergeant-at-arms (1812-1890).

One of four unidentified stamps of an initial C and an earl’s coronet in the database. The following earls were active in 1818, when the book bearing the initial “C” was published: Cadogan; Carlisle; Carnarvon; Carrick; Castle Stewart; Cathcart; Cavan; Cawdor; Chichester; Clancarty; Clanwilliam; Clarendon; Cork and Orrery; Courtown; Coventry; Craven.

The following earls were active in 1834, when the book bearing the initial “C” was published: Cadogan; Carlisle; Carnarvon; Carrick; Castle Stewart; Cathcart; Cavan; Cawdor; Chichester; Clancarty; Clanwilliam; Clarendon; Cork and Orrery; Courtown; Coventry; Craven.

Fairbairn’s Crests plate 117/8 provides the following names to this stamp: Hand; Hart; Hindman; Hughes; Hutchison

Not in Fairbairn's Crests. Encyclopaedia heraldica, and Burke's General armory gives King (Leicestershire) as the only crest belonging to a person whose surname begins with K, but the lion is neither collared or crowned.

Hazlitt lists two possibilities: Charles Manley Smith of the Middle Temple; and Charles Manner Sutton, Archbishop of Canterbury, whose bookplate is dated 1805. Without further evidence, this stamp remains unidentified.

Unidentified by the National Art Library

Hazlitt’s list contains the following possible candidates: Daniel Craster, of Craster, Northumberland (d. 1702); David Crichton (born 1650); Sir David Cunynghame (d. 1708).

Leopard rampant not in Fairbairn’s Crests. The only candidate in Papworth is Lincolne, but the entry has insufficient evidence.

The stamp has been attributed to David Ferguson, Minister of Dunfermline and to David Forrest, Master of the Scottish Mint and Edinburgh Antiquary. The motto is from I Corinthians Chapter 3. It is uncertain whether this is intended to be parted per saltire or whether it is intended to be a saltire between. There are some Scottish armorials of which the ground is parted per saltire, and many who bear a saltire, some between four roses. The family of Napier is one of the latter, but none have a surname that begins with an F

The monogram is clearly a separate block from the palm branches and the coronet that accompany it. Maggs comments ‘The College of Arms cannot find any Earldom of the period where the initials D Y C would be appropriate.

This is the stamp of the Swede Erik Benzelius (1675-1743), librarian of Uppsala University library from 1702 to 1723. The phrase was reported by Hecataeus of Abdera, a historian of the early third century B.C., to be an inscription on the sacred library of the tomb complex of Osymandyas (Ramses II), at Thebes. It is quoted by Diodorus Siculus (Diodorus of Sicily) in his Library of History (Biblioqhks Istorikhs), Book I, paragraph 49, line 3.

The owner of this stamp was a Viscount or Viscountess, or the elder son of a peer whose courtesy title was that of Viscount. Ethel Mildred Devereux, Viscountess Hereford who died 2 June 1945 is a possibility, though the stamp seems to be much older.

Possible candidates from Fairbairn's Crests, plate 10/2 are: Packington; Parry; Peace; Pearmain; Pears; Pepper; Percivall; Picken; Pigg; Pomeroy; Powell; Praed; Priddle; Primrose; Prouse. Papworth provides one further candidate: Pulham

Fairbairn's Crests, plate 153 /2 provides the following possible surnames: M’Lawes; Maltby of Maltby; Masterson, of Ferns Castle, Wexford; Merefield, of London; Michael; Miln; Milnes; Mitchell; Modyford

Davenport identifies these stamps as those of Marcus Trevor 1st Viscount Dungannon. Both arms and crest belonged to the Welsh hero Tudor Trevor, and are used by his descendants. Because surnames are a recent introduction in Wales, various branches of the family have different surnames. Papworth's Ordinary lists a good number, among them Davies of London and Shropshire, Davis of Denbighshire and Dymock of Warwickshire, granted in 1581 and Dymock of Penley Hall in Flintshire. The initials I D would fit any of these families. That of the Viscounts Dungannon do not offer anyone whose name began with I or J.

Davenport identifies these stamps as those of Marcus Trevor 1st Viscount Dungannon. Both arms and crest belonged to the Welsh hero Tudor Trevor, and are used by his descendants. Because surnames are a recent introduction in Wales, various branches of the family have different surnames. For the lion rampant Papworth's Ordinary lists a good number, of possibilities, among them Davies of London and Shropshire, Davis of Denbighshire and Dymock of Warwickshire, granted in 1581, and Dymock of Penley Hall in Flintshire. For the wyvern crest Papworth gives the following: Drake, Ashe and Withercomb, Devon; Drake, Hardley, Norfolk; Davith. The initials I D would fit any of these families. That of the Viscounts Dungannon do not offer anyone whose name began with I or J.

Davenport identifies these stamps as those of Marcus Trevor 1st Viscount Dungannon. Both arms and crest belonged to the Welsh hero Tudor Trevor, and are used by his descendants. Because surnames are a recent introduction in Wales, various branches of the family have different surnames. For the lion rampant Papworth's Ordinary lists a good number, of possibilities, among them Davies of London and Shropshire, Davis of Denbighshire and Dymock of Warwickshire, granted in 1581, and Dymock of Penley Hall in Flintshire. For the wyvern crest Papworth gives the following: Drake, Ashe and Withercomb, Devon; Drake, Hardley, Norfolk; Davith. The initials I D would fit any of these families. That of the Viscounts Dungannon do not offer anyone whose name began with I or J.

Perhaps the monogram of I.V. Brograve, (or J.V. Brograve) whose name appears in Hazlitt's Roll of Honour.

Note in pencil in Folger 152-539q identifies owner as Jane Allington. It seems possible from the bookplate of James Everard Arundell, 9th Baron Arundell of Wardour (1717-56) that this stamp belonged to a member of the Arundell family. From the date of the books it is unlikely that it was the 9th Baron himself. He was the eldest son of James Everard Arundell (d. 1803), 3rd son of Henry 6th Baron Arundell of Wardour (1694-1646), and Anne daughter of John Wyndham of The Close, Salisbury and of Norrington in Wiltshire.

Probably not the stamp of Sir John Soane, who was not a baronet of Nova Scotia.

The monogram M L points to an Earl or a Countess with a title that begins in L. There were a number of Countesses in 1897 that fitted that description: Mildred Countess of Lichfield; Millicent Countess of Lindsey, whose husband also had the Christian name Montagu; Mary Countess of Longford. Ernestine Mary Countess of Listowel, and Alice Mary Countess of Loudon are also possible.

This is not Henry Yelverton Viscount Longueville or his wife, nor is it Lowther Viscount Lonsdale or his wife. The stamp is made up of separate pieces. Lumley?

Possibly a Continental stamp.

Possibly the stamp of John Carteret 2nd Earl Granville (1st creation) (1690-1763), or Granville Leveson-Gower, Viscount Granville, subsequently 1st Earl Granville (2nd creation) (1773-1846) A further possibility is John Carteret’s second wife, Sophia Fermor whom he married in 1744, but this is unlikely as she was countess for only one year before her death during childbirth in 1745. The child was also named Sophia (1745-1771) who became Countess Shelburne on her marriage to William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne in 1765.

The surname Silds does exist, but impossible to determine whether this is the correct reading of the monogram.

The surname Silds does exist, but impossible to determine whether this is the correct reading of the monogram.

W. C. Hazlitt's A roll of honour lists the following collectors whose initials are a combination of W, T, and R: Theodore Woolman Rathbone, of Allerton Priory (1798-1863); Richard Wogan Talbot, 2nd Baron Talbot of Malahide Castle (1766-1849); William Robert Taylor (1805-1874); and Robert Townley Woodman (1825-1897).

Fairbairn’s Crests, plate 56/1 gives: Hadokes; Hall; Haswell; Hatfield; Hayward; Hill; Hodges; Houlton; Huntbach. Clements suggests T. Hall.

W.C. Hazlitt lists many possibilities for these initials. The stamp may be Continental.

Possible viscounts: Vane; De Vesci

These are not the arms of William Bourne, the mathematician, portreeve and innholder of Gravesend, who died in 1583. The second and third quarters seem to be the arms of Beauchatt. The crest would also seem to be that of Beauchatt. It is possible that the unidentified and Beauchatt quarters are reversed, making the owner of this stamp W. Beauchatt. Papworth lists 27 instances of the 1st quarter, but only one, Boffrey, begins with B.

These are not the arms of William Bourne, the mathematician, portreeve and innholder of Gravesend, who died in 1583. The second and third quarters seem to be the arms of Beauchatt. The crest would also seem to be that of Beauchatt. It is possible that the unidentified and Beauchatt quarters are reversed, making the owner of this stamp W. Beauchatt. Papworth lists 27 instances of the 1st quarter, but only one, Boffrey, begins with B.

As four out of the five books cited also bear the anonymous armorial bookplate of Wilson [Franks 32050-1], it is likely the monogram designates Wilson. There is nobody in Hazlitt with this monogram.

As four out of the five books cited also bear the anonymous armorial bookplate of Wilson [Franks 32050-1], it is likely the monogram also belonged of Wilson.

Not in Burke's General armory, nor in Papworth.

Burke’s General armory gives Webb, of Gillingham, Kent; Joan Corder, A dictionary of Suffolk crests provides Thomas Webb, of Gillingham in Kent. ME DUCE was the motto of George Innes, writer in Edinburgh in 1733, but his crest was a star of twelve points argent.

The arms on the banner may be Allard; see Papworth: Argent 3 bends gules on a canton azure a leopard's head or.

Probably Continental; could be the arms of Seve; cf Olivier no 684.

Possibly a Continental stamp

Papworth: Adington, Ansingham, Antingham, Anthingham, Autingham of Lancashire and Norfolk; Benton; Monceup; Riviere (sable a bend argent) Celny; Celuy, Hore (sable a bend or)

Too indistinct to make a positive identity

According to most sources these arms are identified as belonging to Franklin (Francklin, Franklyn). There are several possibilities, including John Franklyn (1656-1719) of Willesden, Middlesex, or his son, also named John Franklyn (1685-1743).

The owner of this stamp is wrongly identified by Cyril Davenport in English Heraldic Book-stamps as Benjamin Heath (1704-1766). Henry Clements owned a book with this stamp from this library with the initials J P and the ownership inscription "John Price his booke 1656", and believed that the birds were Cornish choughs, and that the arms were those of Price. Unfortunately, it is clear that the inscription and the initials are later than the armorial stamp, as more than one book exists with this stamp and the ownership inscription of Edward Gwynn, who died about 1645. D. Macarthur of St Andrews University Library, noted that that library owns no less than fifteen books from this collection, and believed that the owner might be Matthew Gwynn [Gwinne] M.D. (1558?-1627). The principal feature of the books in the collection is the preponderance of medical works. The birds resemble Gesner's pigeons, and as his work was the principal source for avian iconography in the sixteenth and early seventeenth century, it seems probable that the birds are doves or pigeons. There is a number of families that bear three doves. Papworth gives Magill and Rathbone (argent three doves azure); Crule (azure three doves argent; and azure three doves or); Hodby (azure three doves proper); Ayer (gules three doves close argent); and Columbell and Tunsted (sable three doves argent). The best hope of identifying the owner of this library depends on some mark of identification being found in the books. All that we can be sure of is that this is a medical library put together before 1624. The most likely candidate is Matthew Gwinne [Gwynne], a medical doctor, who died in 1627, and therefore fits into the time period of the imprints, the latest one being 1624. He was educated at St John's College Oxford. "In his younger days he was much admired for his skill and dexterity in poetry and philosophical disputes, in humane and profane learning, but above all for modern languages". He was medical professor at Gresham College. In addition to several plays, he also authored Epicedium in obitum illustrissimi herois Henrici comitis Derbiensis (Oxford, 1593). Other sources list: Hathey (3 birds argent membered gules) [Burke’s General armory]; Pennystone [British Library Additional manuscript 30983. Arms of Kentish families]; and Sir Richard Mompesson (d. 1627) (argent 3 pigeons azure) [Parker, James. A glossary of terms used in heraldry]

Papworth gives: Trevarthean; Bore; Gilpin; Guylpin. The crest is not in Fairbairn’s Crests

This is perhaps the crest of Calthorpe [Calthrop]. Some of the family, according to Fairbairn, use this crest uncharged, and one branch has it with the charge of three annulets interlinked

Not in Fairbairn's Crests. Not in Papworth.

This is either the stamp of the recipient of the prize book or possibly that of the donor. Fairbairn offers 49 possible owners for the crest, while for the motto Fairbairn gives 32 possibilities, Burke’s General armory a further 17. However, none of these gives the crest and motto together. For the motto the closest is that for Hunter of Burnside, (“Spero”) and for Daunt of Owlpen Manor Gloucestershire is “Vigilo et spero”.