Sunday, August 1, 2010

CHARLES II ARMILLS


Charles II Armills 1611
The bracelets or armills are ancient biblical symbols of the regality. They have been used as royal insignia since the twelvth century. The bracelets which were lost in the Interregnum were jewelled.
Their replacements which were made for the coronation of Charles II were made of enamelled unmarked gold (with later alterations) and supplied by Sir Robert Vyner in 1661. The upper and lower rims are decorated with two mouldings of light blue enamel which forms a herringbone pattern effect.
The band is decorated with four national emblems separated by a pair of dark blue fleurets with the occasional addition of red pellets. The motifs as on the Queen Consort’s armill are the rose, thistle and fleur-de-lis.
These items have a long history as royal ornaments in the East, and well as the Germans, the Scandinavians and Anglo-Saxons. The Romans considered them only suitable for women. They were probably worn around the arm rather than the wrist

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