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. This wheel provided its owner with six different seals, all with their own appropriate motto to choose from.
Its fitting is made of ormolu, a gilding technique used as a substitute for gold. I suspect that it was originally fitted with a handle.
The wheel is set with six intaglio's that, each depicting a different motto.
The intaglios depict the following:
- 'Bloodstone' paste: depicts a bird flying out of a cage: 'Qui me néglige me perd' - 'Neglect me, loose me'.
- Blue paste: 'Bien faire et laisser dire' - 'Do right and let them talk'.
- Orange paste: 'Je change qu'en mourant' - 'I only change when I die'.
- Blue paste: a candle that is put out 'Bonsoir' - Good night.
- White paste: The sun behind the clouds: 'Je reviendrai' - 'I will return'.
- Yellow paste: The devil with Cupid on its back: 'Le diable enporte l'amour' - The devil takes love (used as a saying that means 'To hell with love!').
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.
The fact that each motto is in French does not mean a Frenchman necessarily used it: French was the common language used by the upper classes throughout Europe, and this seal was originally part of the collection of a Dutch noble family.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Size: 35 mm in diameter. Each seal measures circa 14 x 11 mm.
Weight: 15.34 grams
Age: Early 19th Century, also known as the Georgian era, circa 1830s.
Material: Gilded metal and paste.
Condition: In antique condition with minor signs of wear, consistent with age. Some of the seals have been worn over the centuries and display damages: I have taken a picture of each seal so you can see their condition.