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A bale of wool or a merchant's mark carved on a monument.
Also known as: Merchant's mark, Woolpack, Trade mark on a grave
A woolpack, a bale, or a merchant's personal mark — a monogram-like device used to identify goods before trademarks existed. Merchants' marks are among the most genuinely informative carvings, because they were personal rather than generic.
A woolpack, bale or merchant's mark carved on a monument, marking a merchant, clothier or trader.
Contexts: History
A merchant's mark is a personal device — usually a monogram-like figure built on a vertical stroke — used to identify goods and property before registered trademarks existed. Because they were individual rather than generic, they can sometimes be matched to a named person in surviving records.
Medieval to 17th century especially
Frequently mistaken for a mason's mark, which is a different thing: a mason's mark identifies who cut the stone rather than who is buried under it.
Position matters: a mason's mark is usually small, unobtrusive and on a hidden face.
A bound bale of wool shown as a rounded rectangular pack with binding straps, or an angular monogram-like device built around a tall vertical stroke.