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Description
A carved and painted angel shown frontally, with short dark hair and wings extended horizontally. The feathers are carefully modelled and retain pale colouring with red and gold details. The angel wears a light garment with a red-lined collar and holds a large pointed shield in both hands.
Heraldry
Blazon: Quarterly: first and fourth, Gules, a fret Argent; second and third, Ermine, a chevron Gules.
In plain English, the shield is divided into four quarters. The first and fourth have a red ground bearing a white interlaced lattice. The second and third have a white, black-spotted ermine ground bearing a red chevron.
The quartered arms are unusually well preserved and their principal tinctures and charges are clearly legible. No family identification should be offered without corroborating historical or heraldic evidence.
Condition
The figure is substantially complete and in comparatively good condition. The face, hands, wings and shield remain sharply defined, and extensive original colouring survives. There is some abrasion, staining and localised paint loss, particularly on the garments, feathers and interlaced charges. A vertical joint or split passes through the centre of the figure and shield. Despite this, both the carving and the heraldry remain exceptionally clear.