Lot 831

Description

Wax impression of the third Great Seal of New South Wales, 108mms, by Thomas Wyon for George IV. The Latin inscription from Virgil draws the analogy between the foundation of Rome by a band of robbers and the settling of the new colony of New South Wales by convicts. The scene depicting Industry (or Britannia) seated receiving the new arrivals (convicts) a church and fort on the hill in the background. The design is well known on the 'Sydney View' of the first 1850 issue of postage stamps in NSW. This seal was used 1827-1832 (see Gullick, W. A., 'The Seals of New South Wales', Sydney 1921, page 7, and 'Etruria' by King R.J., in the N.A.A. Journal Volume 5, pp.3-8). The seal, has attached a portion of a ribbon, it is broken and repaired and is missing a section of its edge, very good and very rare, and also a small fragment of another similar seal with ribbon attached. (2)

The seal comes from a grant provided to William Hutchinson on the 8th March 1831 from Governor Ralph Darling for lot 13, section 3 of Campbell street, Sydney. The Great Seal was by 1827 reserved for use on important state documents, usually by the Governor in person.