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| Henry VIII-era chain up for sale | Henry VIII-era chain up for sale |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| The only known surviving chain of office from the time of Henry VIII is being put up for auction. | The only known surviving chain of office from the time of Henry VIII is being put up for auction. |
| The king gave the gold Coleridge Collar to one of his closest advisers, Sir Edward Montagu, around 1546. | The king gave the gold Coleridge Collar to one of his closest advisers, Sir Edward Montagu, around 1546. |
| The chains showed allegiance to the monarch and the intricacy of the design and quality of the metal signified the status of the wearer. | The chains showed allegiance to the monarch and the intricacy of the design and quality of the metal signified the status of the wearer. |
| It is expected to fetch £300,000 when it goes under the hammer at Christie's in London on 6 November. | It is expected to fetch £300,000 when it goes under the hammer at Christie's in London on 6 November. |
| It will be the first time that the Coleridge Collar, thought to be of the most important surviving relics of the Tudor age, has come up for auction. | It will be the first time that the Coleridge Collar, thought to be of the most important surviving relics of the Tudor age, has come up for auction. |
| Sir Edward is thought to have received the collar on his appointment to the role of Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas - one of the highest judicial officials in England. | Sir Edward is thought to have received the collar on his appointment to the role of Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas - one of the highest judicial officials in England. |
| This type of livery collar, as it was known, became popular when they were used by Henry IV as an official symbol of allegiance to the monarch. | This type of livery collar, as it was known, became popular when they were used by Henry IV as an official symbol of allegiance to the monarch. |
| It was known as the "collar of the Esses", referring to the S characters used in the design alluding to the Latin religious creed Spiritus Sanctus - or holy spirit. | It was known as the "collar of the Esses", referring to the S characters used in the design alluding to the Latin religious creed Spiritus Sanctus - or holy spirit. |
| The Tudors later added their own designs of roses and portcullises. | The Tudors later added their own designs of roses and portcullises. |
| Henry VIII is thought to have awarded only about 20 of the chains to loyal subjects for "special deeds" and none were believed to have survived in their entirety. | |
| The king is thought to have given the chain to Sir Edward Montagu | The king is thought to have given the chain to Sir Edward Montagu |
| But when the role of Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas was merged with another title in 1880 to create the Lord Chief Justice of England - the chain of office became superfluous. | But when the role of Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas was merged with another title in 1880 to create the Lord Chief Justice of England - the chain of office became superfluous. |
| It then became the personal property of Lord Coleridge and passed through his family, changing ownership only once since the 19th Century. | It then became the personal property of Lord Coleridge and passed through his family, changing ownership only once since the 19th Century. |
| It was discovered in the Devon family home of poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge earlier this year. | It was discovered in the Devon family home of poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge earlier this year. |
| Experts say the collar is similar to the one worn by Sir Thomas More in the famous portrait by Hans Holbein the Younger. | Experts say the collar is similar to the one worn by Sir Thomas More in the famous portrait by Hans Holbein the Younger. |
| Andreas Pampoulides, Christie's London director and co-head of sale said: "The Coleridge Collar is an extraordinary and fascinating piece of history, both as a work of art, and also as a rare Tudor relic. | Andreas Pampoulides, Christie's London director and co-head of sale said: "The Coleridge Collar is an extraordinary and fascinating piece of history, both as a work of art, and also as a rare Tudor relic. |
| "An extremely rare example of early English goldsmith-work, the collar also represents the only known, complete, surviving collar of office from the time of Henry VIII, one of the most renowned of European monarchs." | "An extremely rare example of early English goldsmith-work, the collar also represents the only known, complete, surviving collar of office from the time of Henry VIII, one of the most renowned of European monarchs." |
| The collar is part of Christie's Important European Furniture, Sculpture and Tapestries sale. | The collar is part of Christie's Important European Furniture, Sculpture and Tapestries sale. |