Man, it took me a LONG time to hunt down what this is — but I cracked the case! Thankfully, I used to specialize in paper collectibles, so I knew right away that this was handmade laid paper, meaning old old old. It’s got all the telltale signs of authenticity: laid lines, visible watermarks (in this case a fleur-de-lis!), a deep platemark impression from the original copperplate, the correct page size for a folio leaf, and of course that gorgeous hand-coloring.
Long story short: I’m confident this is an original leaf from an 18th-century edition of “Baronagium Genealogicum: Or the Pedigrees of the English Peers Deduced from the Earliest Times,” originally compiled by Sir William Segar (Garter King of Arms in the early 1600s) and continued by Joseph Edmondson. Published between 1764–84, this was the definitive engraved armorial reference of its day — huge, richly engraved plates of coats of arms, with hand-coloring added for well-heeled subscribers.
TEXT: Charles Powlett, Duke of Bolton, Marquis of Winchester, Earl of Wiltshire, Baron St. John of Basing, and Premier Marquis of England.
COAT OF ARMS:
This family’s arms are a heraldic powerhouse. The shield is supported by two majestic stags — classic for the Powlett line.
The crest above the coronet is a falcon, often depicted perched on a ducal coronet.
The motto, “Aymes Loyaulte,” means “Love Loyalty.”
The mantling, flourishes, and supporters all match the lavish style that made Baronagium Genealogicum so collectible.
Approx. 10 7/8" wide by 18 1/8" tall.
You can clearly see the margin from the plate strike around the image.
It’s over 250 years old and still looks fantastic. Please study the photos — they tell the best story.
This leaf was found mounted — I removed it from the old matting but left the original mounting tape on the reverse (your choice to remove it). There’s some light edge wear (typical for disbound folios) and pencil catalog numbers likely added by whoever disbound and framed this decades ago. The hand-coloring remains vibrant — this will look beautiful framed again.
I ship these flat — never rolled! — sandwiched in rigid cardboard above and below, bagged to guard against any moisture.
I know how to ship antique paper properly — this piece of British aristocratic history will arrive safe, flat, and ready for your collection.
If you’d like the matching Wallop family leaf, check my other listings — they make an incredible pair!