This 19th-century wax seal wheel is not only practical, but also an impressive little artwork to exhibit on one's desk!
In the early 19th Century, letters were often sealed with hot wax. Most avid letter writers would have their personal seal, for instance bearing their initials. This brass etui holds one of the largest collections of wax seals I have ever had the pleasure of offering. It folds out into five trays, which originally housed 50 double-sided seals, of which 38 are still present. The cap has been fitted with a screw mechanism in which the seal you want to use can be secured and used.
The front is embossed with the text: Brasseux Jeune, Graveur du Roi Medailler Devises / Brevete pour le cachet a 100 passages des panoramas / no. 17.
The seals are double sided and each depict an image with an accompanying motto.
I believe these spell out the following (I might have made some errors in my French):
- A bouquet of flowers: ‘A Vous’ / A swamp with typha: 'Telle est ma destinée'.
-
Two hearts: ‘Unis pour toujours / A rearing horse: ‘Liberte cherie!’
-
A rose: ‘C’est ton image’ / Two cupids in a boat: ‘Le temps passe amitié reste’
-
An arrow: ‘A mon but’ / A star: ‘Veille sur ce que l'aime’.
-
A dog: ‘Fidele comme lui’ / A cat facing a rat: ‘A ton chat bon rat’.
-
A leaf: ‘Je ne change qu'en mourant’ / A reed stem: ‘Le trop m'accabre’.
-
A thundercloud: ‘Je brave tout’ / A leaf that falls in a pond: ‘Je romps et ne poir pas’.
-
Two cherries: ‘A ma plus belle’ / A bee hive: ‘Nul n'en penetre le secret’.
-
A pocket watch: ‘Attention a u temps’ / A rooster: ‘Aime et combats de meme’.
-
An envelope: ‘Va ou je voudrais etre’ / A tent: ‘Rien de stable’.
-
A snake which has been cut in half: ‘S'unir ou mourir’ / A blindfolded Cupid climbing a pole: ‘Rien sans peine’.
-
A tortoise: difficult to read but likely: ‘excuse ma haste’ / A leafless tree: ‘J'attends un beau jour’.
-
A cupid playing with a ball: ‘Je bouleverse’ / Two clasped hands: ‘Pour toujours’.
-
A bouquet of pansy flowers: ‘Ne m'oublies pas’ / A snuffed candle: ‘Bon soir’.
-
A hand holding a quill: ‘Le coeur la conduit’ / An spruce tree: ‘Toujours Meme’.
-
A running dog holding a letter: ‘Je suis presse’ / A bird perched on a tree, the motto cannot be read.
-
An oil lamp: ‘Je me consume pour eclairer’ / A letter (piece of paper): ‘Son merite est cache’.
-
A flower in the sun: ‘Je (?) loin de toi’ / Cupid hacking a rock: ‘Avec le temps’.
-
Two trees, separated by a stream: ‘Envain le destin nous separe’ / Ivy enwrapping a tree trunk: ‘Je mours ou je m'attache’.
- A harp: ‘A qui touche je reponds’ / Cupid leaning on an anchor: ‘Sans toi je meurs’.
- A bird flying from its cage: ‘Qui me neglige me perd’ / An open scissor: ‘Je pars pour revenir’.
- A heart: ‘A Vous’ / Two birds and their nest: ‘Guerre à l'inconstance’.
- A symbol of time: ‘Le temps nous unira’ / A dog resting near a grave: ‘Fidele jusqu'au tombeau’.
- Two connected hearts: ‘Separes pas je sunis’ / A butterfly: ‘Pour un jour’.
- A skull, the motto cannot be read anymore / a necklace: ‘Elle est legere’.
- A heart: ‘Un seul me suffit’ / A swallow: ‘Le froid me chasse’.
- An envelope: ‘Ditte Oui’ / Cupid walking a dog: ‘La fidelite me guide’.
- Two birds holding a knotted rope: ‘Plus long plus serre’ / A butterfly on a flower: ‘J’attends’.
- A pansy flower: ‘Toi seule la fixe’ / A heart shaped lock: ‘Vous en avez la clef’.
- A star: ‘Elle m'a bien conduit’ / A ship in stormy waters: ‘Telle est la vie’.
- An envelope with the text: ‘Elle a douce les peines de l'absence’ / A bird on branch, the motto cannot be read anymore.
- A caged bird: ‘l'oubli me tue’ / An envelope: ‘Lisez et repondez’.
- A needle and thread: ‘je reunis je raccommode’ / Cupid collecting hearts in a basket: ‘Je cherche le plus fidele’.
- A pansy flower: (pense) a moi quand je serai plus / A globe: ‘Le monde est ma patrie’.
- An owl: ‘Sois sage comme lui’ / A running dog carrying a letter: ‘Reviens vite’
- A butterfly on a rose: ‘Je me fixe’ / A bouquet of flowers: ‘A present et toujours’.
- An anchor: ‘Je console’ / A rising sun: ‘Je reviendrai’.
- A pelican feeding her young: ‘Comme moi’ / A balancing Cupid: ‘Toujours rest’.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Size: 113 x 28 x 13 mm.
Weight: 145 grams
Age: Early 19th Century, circa 1820s.
Condition: In antique condition with signs of wear, consistent with age. Some of the trays have oxidation: the seals are over all in good condition, but some are more difficult to read than others, and some have signs of use or oxidation marks.