Doe and Hope

Description

The Victorian period pierced lead armorial showing the Royal Coat of Arms with unicorn and lion and Latin “Honi soit qui mal y pense” and “Dieu et mon droit” referring to the divine right of the Monarch to govern.

The armorial is in very good shape, the lead with a nice patination and some oxidization to places but with no losses or damage to speak of. There is a little distress to the top surmounting lions lower legs but it is still stable.

Coats of arms such as this are more commonly found in polychromed and carved wood, gesso, or cast iron. The Latin is of course the motto of the English chivalric Order of the Garter. This statement supposedly originated when King Edward III was dancing with his first cousin and daughter-in-law, Joan of Kent. Her garter slipped down to her ankle, causing those around her to snicker at her humiliation. In an act of chivalry Edward placed the garter around his own leg, saying "Honi soit qui mal y pense", and the phrase later became the motto of the Order.

The high cast quality and small proportions of this armorial make it perfect for placement over a doorway.