19th Century Framed Embossed Leather Royal Coat of Arms of The United Kingdom

$4,500

About

This elegant antique embossed leather shield panel was created in England circa 1870; square in shape and set in the original oak frame embellished with gilt molding, the crest depicts the Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom with a lion and horse holding a shield which reads: “HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE”. It is a French maxim used as the motto of the British chivalric Order of the Garter. It is translated as “May he be shamed who thinks badly of it”, or “Shame be to him who thinks evil of it”. In current French usage, it may be used ironically to insinuate the presence of a hidden agenda or a conflict of interest. Beneath the lion and horse feet, the following words: “DIEU ET MON DROIT”, meaning “God and my right”; it is the motto of the Monarch of the United Kingdom outside Scotland. It appears on a scroll beneath the shield of the version of the coat of arms of the United Kingdom. The motto is said to have first been used by Richard I (1157–1199) as a battle cry and presumed to be a reference to his French ancestry (indeed he spoke French and Occitan but knew only basic English) and the concept of the divine right of the Monarch to govern. It was adopted as the royal motto of England by King Henry V (1386–1422) with the phrase “and my right” referring to his claim by descent to the French crown. The large wall panel decor is in excellent condition with a rich patinated leather finish with red and gilt accents. Measures: 35.5″ W x 36.5″ H.

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