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 wheel is interesting because it provides its owner with six different seals, all with appropriate mottoes to choose from.
Its mechanism is made of ormulu, an gilding technique that was used as a substitute for gold, which has a handle made from a coral branch. The wheel is set with six paste intaglio's, each depicting a different motto.
The intaglios depict the following:
- Bloodstone: A lantern with the motto: 'brighter times will come'.
- Black paste: a broken bow, with the motto: 'o'er bend it & it breaks'.
- Orange chalcedony: Ivy climbing around a tree: 'Je Meurs ou je m'attache' translating to 'I Die or I Get Attached' (more literal: I will die if I cannot be with you).
- Citrin: A bird perched on a branch, reading: 'Mon Amour Dure Apres La Mort' translating to 'My Love Lasts After Death'.
- White chalcedony: A boxwood shrub, with the motto: 'Always the same'.
- Black chalcedony: A compass, with the motto: 'etourdi mais constant' (moving but constant'.
- Yellow chalcedony: the motto: 'forgive and forget'.
All mottos are depicted in mirror image, making them readable when pressed in hot wax: please note that I have flipped the images of the intaglios to make them readable.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Size: 88 x 33 mm.
Weight: 34 grams
Age: Early 19th Century, also known as the Georgian era, circa 1830s.
Condition: In antique condition with signs of wear, consistent with age. The bloodstone and the black seal have a chip, which can be seen in the pictures, and there is some oxidation on the ormolu gilding.