18th century AD. A pair of gold-mounted seal matrices for Sir Charles Bingham (1735-1799), 1st Earl of Lucan, High Sheriff of County Mayo, Member of Parliament as Baron Lucan of Castlebar, comprising: a gold finger ring with divergent split hoop, ribbed detailing to the shoulders, ellipsoid bezel with inset carnelian(?) cloison, intaglio heraldic seal comprising a heater shield with two collared wolves as supporters, coronet of an earl, scroll beneath the shield with motto 'Spes Mea Christus' (Christ [is] my hope), the shield divided into six fields with a central escutcheon; a similar carnelian intaglio seal mounted in a gold fob with ribbed petal arms, loop above with lateral spurs; presented in a lined case with custom-made interior, impression of the seal. 222 grams total, case: 12 x 9cm, ring: 33mm overall (4 3/4 x 3 3/4"). From an important North West London collection; acquired in the late 1980s-early 1990s. The Bingham family originated in Dorset, England. The name appeared in Ireland in the 16th century, when Richard Bingham was appointed governor of Connaught in 1584. Charles Bingham, the 1st Earl of Lucan (22 September 1735 – 29 March 1799), was also known as Sir Charles Bingham, 7th Baronet, from 1750 until 1776. He was an Irish peer and politician, appointed High Sheriff of Mayo in 1756 and elected as Member of Parliament for both Castlebar and Mayo in 1761. In 1795, Bingham was further ennobled with the title of Earl of Lucan, of Castlebar, in the County of Mayo. Bingham was able to take a seat in the British House of Commons as the member for Northampton in 1782, representing it for two years. August 1760, he married Margaret Smith, daughter of Sir James Smith at Bath, Somerset, and by her he had four daughters and a son; one daughter, Anne, was painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds in 1786. Bingham died at Charles Street, Mayfair, London in August 1799 and was succeeded by his son, Richard. [2] Extremely fine condition. An extremely rare find as a pair.