{"product_id":"victorian-gold-cased-bloodstone-dove-olive-branch-fob-seal","title":"Victorian Gold-Cased Bloodstone Dove \u0026 Olive Branch Fob Seal","description":"\u003cp\u003eA charming little Victorian fob seal, believed to date to circa 1860, featuring a beautifully engraved shield-shaped bloodstone intaglio depicting a dove in flight carrying an olive branch, mounted in an ornate gold-cased setting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe bloodstone has a wonderfully deep green colour, scattered with tiny flecks of red, characteristic of this fascinating gemstone. Also known as heliotrope, bloodstone is a variety of chalcedony that has been admired since antiquity. Its distinctive red markings were historically likened to drops of blood, giving the stone its rather evocative name.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe intaglio depicts a dove in flight carrying an olive branch, one of the most enduring symbols of peace, reconciliation and hope. Its origins lie in the biblical story of Noah's Ark, when a dove returned carrying an olive leaf, signalling that the floodwaters had receded and that life could begin again.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe bloodstone is cut into an elegant shield shape, its gently curved outline beautifully complemented by the richly decorated gold-cased mount. Shields were a familiar feature of heraldic and personal seals, making this a particularly fitting shape for such a meaningful engraved design.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe mount is beautifully decorated with scrolling foliate detail, typical of the elaborate ornamentation fashionable during the mid-19th century. Despite its small size, the seal has a lovely sense of craftsmanship, with the decorative scrollwork extending around the sides of the mount.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring the Victorian period, personal seals often featured images, mottos and emblems chosen to convey something about their owner's beliefs, affections or identity. The dove and olive branch would have been a particularly meaningful choice, expressing a wish for peace, harmony or new beginnings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOriginally intended to be suspended from a watch chain or fob, the seal could have been used to impress its design into sealing wax on letters and correspondence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToday, it would make a particularly charming pendant, worn on a gold chain either alone or alongside other antique charms.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA delightful little piece of Victorian history, combining the ancient symbolism of bloodstone with a beautifully sentimental message of peace and hope.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Parkin and Gerrish","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57644188172661,"sku":"216M","price":198.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0373\/3428\/6475\/files\/victorian-gold-cased-bloodstone-dove-olive-branch-fob-seal-3996181.jpg?v=1791920370","url":"https:\/\/parkinandgerrish.com\/en-nl\/products\/victorian-gold-cased-bloodstone-dove-olive-branch-fob-seal","provider":"Parkin and Gerrish","version":"1.0","type":"link"}