{"product_id":"richard-worley-flag-white-skull-ensign-94265","title":"Richard Worley Flag, White Skull Ensign - c.1718 - Pirate Wax Seal Stamp","description":"\u003cp\u003eRichard Worley Flag, Skull and Crossed Bones - c.1718 - Historical Wax Seal Stamp\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWax seal stamp based on the flag associated with Richard Worley, a pirate captain active along the Atlantic coast of North America during 1718 and early 1719.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWorley’s career was remarkably brief. According to A General History of the Pyrates, he left New York in late September 1718 in a small open boat with only a handful of companions, limited provisions and a few muskets. The group moved south along the American coast, gradually acquiring larger vessels and increasing their numbers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter operating around the Delaware River and the Bahamas, Worley’s company had grown to around twenty-five men aboard a six-gun sloop. It was during this period that the contemporary account records him creating a distinctive black ensign.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA General History of the Pyrates, published in 1724 only a few years after Worley’s career, describes the flag as a black ensign with a white skull positioned in the centre. This gives Worley’s emblem a firmer documentary basis than many pirate flags attributed to individual captains.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe version reproduced here includes crossed bones behind the skull. The central white skull is directly supported by the early written description, while the crossed bones are not specifically mentioned in the 1724 account and are best understood as part of the later traditional reconstruction of the design. This means the stamp reflects both the historical source and the form in which the flag is most commonly recognised today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe account also records Worley raising his black flag while approaching the Virginia Capes, where it was immediately recognised as a pirate emblem by observers ashore. His career ended shortly afterwards in February 1719.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis stamp therefore draws upon one of the better-documented pirate flag traditions of the Golden Age of Piracy, while also acknowledging the role of later reconstruction in shaping the familiar skull-and-bones version.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDesign: Richard Worley flag\u003cbr\u003e\nPerson: Richard Worley\u003cbr\u003e\nDate: c.1718\u003cbr\u003e\nPeriod: Golden Age of Piracy\u003cbr\u003e\nDocumented Symbol: White skull on black field\u003cbr\u003e\nTraditional Addition: Crossed bones\u003cbr\u003e\nSource: A General History of the Pyrates, 1724\u003cbr\u003e\nStamp Size: 30 mm\u003cbr\u003e\nMaterial: Solid brass\u003cbr\u003e\nType: Wax seal stamp \/ sealing stamp\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach stamp is made of solid brass, fitted with a wooden handle and presented in a velvet pouch.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuitable for letters, envelopes, maritime collections, historical displays, nautical-themed stationery, pirate collections and decorative sealing.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"NobleSeals","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58073604161876,"sku":"HIS-PIR-1718-WORLEY-O-30MM","price":30.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0927\/6352\/1364\/files\/il_fullxfull.8632625114_8oka.jpg?v=1793556959","url":"https:\/\/nobleseals.co.uk\/products\/richard-worley-flag-white-skull-ensign-94265","provider":"NobleSeals","version":"1.0","type":"link"}