Sir Walter Scott seal sells at auction

The seal is believed to date from 1820 when Sir Walter Scott received his knighthood

A rare seal which belonged to Sir Walter Scott has sold for nearly £14,000 at auction.

It is part of the Matrix Collection of desk seals gathered by the late David Morris, an avid collector.

One hundred of the "unusual and beautiful" objects - all with a Scottish connection - are going under the hammer online.

One of the highlights was Sir Walter Scott's personal desk seal from Abbotsford House in the Borders.

It had been estimated to fetch between £12,000 and £18,000 at the sale being conducted by Lyon and Turnbull and went under the hammer for £13,860.

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Specialist Kier Mulholland described the collection as being "art in miniature and craftsmanship at its finest".

"This is an exceptional collection of historic and elegant objects," she said.

"David Morris went to great lengths to acquire these significant works, which offer a glimpse into a time when family crests and armorials were of great importance.

"Perhaps most tantalising is that each piece tells us a different story, which is the reason they were collected by Mr Morris."

All the seals going up for auction have a Scottish connection

Wax seals were widely used from the Middle Ages until the 19th Century by which time letters could be safely sealed with glue.

As well as being "elegant and prestigious" objects to own, the seals had a practical use, making a unique impression when dipped in hot wax to prove authenticity on the part of the sender of a letter, and to seal documents to prevent them from being opened.

Sir Walter Scott's finely carved hand seal is believed to date from his knighthood in 1820.

A prolific writer of letters, it is likely that the seal was also used in correspondence to King George IV.

This led to Scott organising a royal visit to Scotland, complete with tartan pageantry which resulted in the elevation of the kilt to national dress.

Lyon and Turnbull said seals had recently undergone "something of a revival", with a new generation of enthusiasts using them for wedding invitations and other special occasion correspondence.