Hi,

This is an obscure one. In the family, we have a wardrobe with the lettering AC 1740. There are three badges carved on it. The Three Legs of Man, a Viking Ship with furled sails and a bird, which may be a raven, but I am not an ornithologist, but it looks a pretty fierce sort of creature to me. Around it is a motto ALTE SPECTO. It has been in the family for many generations, possibly back to 1740. Of Manx families with a C initial, I can include Christian, Corrin, Cowell, Cowle, Cain, Cleater, Crenilt, Clucas, Callister, Caralagh, but I have not been able to find any family with this motto. The family must have been fairly wealthy to afford a piece as well carved as this, and the Viking longship, and possible raven suggests a family that was intensely proud of its Viking roots.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to the family, and who AC might be. It could be a piece to commemorate the birth of an elder son, or a marriage, so an AC born in 1740 or married in 1740 seems a possibility. Also does anyone happen to know what furniture makers existed on the Island in 1740, asthe guy who carved it knew what he was doing.

Robert