Jewellery, Objects of Vertu, Silver and Watches

A gilt bronze seal ring, circa 1500, the round bezel with the intaglio crest of an ‘elephant and castle’ within a ropetwist border, between tapered shoulders with beaded detail, ring size X. £150-£200

This ring is a detectorist find, discovered near Thornham, North Norfolk and declared to the Finds Liaison Officer. Being gilt bronze, it does not qualify as Treasure.

The engraved crest on this seal ring appears to depict an elephant carrying a castle (howdah) on its back. It bears similarity to the 13th/14th century gold and agate seal found near King’s Lynn, North Norfolk, in June 2020, being one of only three such ‘elephant and castle’ gold seals recorded by the British Museum (PAS database, ref: NMS-CB2CBE). In 2025 it was acquired by the Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery as part of their permanent collection.

Gross weight 12.8gm. There is a notch out of the edge of one shoulder and another to the edge of the band at the back. Gilding remains in the deeper parts of the decoration to bezel and band, otherwise the bronze shows surface deterioration in keeping with age.