John Quincy Adams' gold-mounted carnelian fob seal and gold pair-case watch, circa 1816 / 1777

the carnelian matrix finely carved with mottoed lyre backed by a spread eagle and surrounded by thirteen rayed stars; the gold mount chased with flutes below a part-fluted urn and suspension ring; the pair case gold watch with Graham-type cylinder escapement, the cock pierced and engraved with a grotesque mask and foliage and with faceted diamond endstone, the white enamel dial with black Roman numerals and openwork gold hands, signed on backplate Leslie Parliament Street no. 712 and signed on dustcap Leslie London 712, both cases hallmarked London 1777 with casemaker's mark IW probably for John Wills; with a rose gold watch key with bright-cut borders, late 18th century; and rose gold chain of oval and circular links

John Quincy Adams (1767-1848, president 1825-29), to his son
Charles F. Adams (1807-1886), to his son
John Quincy Adams (1832-1894), to his daughter
Abigail Adams (1879-1924) to her son
Robert Homans (1918-1964), husband of the consignor

This seal, with an eagle, a lyre, and the Latin motto "Nunc Sidera Ducit" (It Now Leads the Stars) was designed by John Quincy Adams for himself and executed in London, where he was resident as the American Minister to Great Britain (1815-17).  Adams elucidated the motto in his diary entry for September 7, 1816:

Orpheus is said to have charmed Lions and Tygers, . . . by the harmony of his Lyre. . . . The meaning of this Allegory is explained by Horace. . . . Orpheus was a Legislator whose eloquence charmed the rude and savage men of his age to associate together in the State of civil Society. . . . It was the Lyre of Orpheus that civilized Savage Man. It was only in Harmony that the first human political institutions could be founded. After the Death of Orpheus, his Lyre was placed among the Constellations, and there, according to the Astronomics of Manilius, still possesses its original charm. . . . It is the Application of this Fable, and of this passage of Manilius, to the United States, the American political Constellation, that forms the device of the Seal. [Here Adams quotes the passage from Manilius.] The modern Astronomers have connected a Vulture with the Constellation of the Lyre. . . . Instead of that bird, . . . I have assumed the American Eagle as the bearer of the Lyre. The thirteen original Stars form a border round the Seal. . . . The motto from Manilius [NUNC SIDERA DUCIT] is upon the Lyre itself. (Adams Family Papers, Massachusetts Historical Society).

The same day that Adams wrote this in his diary, he also began sitting for his portrait by Charles Robert Leslie, now in the Diplomatic Reception Rooms, Washington D.C..  Adams granted the artist 14 sittings over two months, and his wife wrote to her mother-in-law, Abigail Adams, "Mr. A. tells me his picture is likely to prove an excellent likeness at which I am much delighted as I think he never looked so well or so handsome as he does now."

Adams insisted that his newly-designed seal be represented, a request that the artist "did not incline to."  As the small carnelian would be illegible, the seal is depicted as if embossed on the leather book in Adams' hand.

By family tradition the gold watch of earlier date belonged to John Adams (1735-1826, president 1797-1801).  He was in Europe from 1779 as an American minister, accompanied by his young son John Quincy, and in 1785 became first American minister to the Court of St. James.