This desk seal combined both a functional and beautiful function and would have been an interesting 'objet d'art' on a Victorian desk.
Its handle is a small-scale bust of the Goddess Pallas Athena, which is a partial rendition of the famous 'Athena Giustiniani', a Roman copy of a Greek statue of Pallas Athena, which currently can be found in the Vatican Museums. It is therefore very likely that it was purchased in Rome as a Grand Tour souvenir.
The bust is placed on a plinth, of which the bottom hides a wax seal intaglio - reading 'DK' under a five-pointed crown - that would have been used to seal up letters.
The Greek Goddess Pallas Athena, a daughter of Zeus, is associated with warfare, wisdom, and craftsmanship. She can be recognized by the head of Medusa that she wears on her breastplate and by her Corinthian helmet, which is topped by a sphinx.
Her mythology often centers around assisting Greek heroes in battle, and she remains well known today because she has a prominent role in both the Iliad and the Odyssey. In western civilization, she has become a symbol of wisdom, the arts, and classical learning, and also represents freedom and democracy.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Size: 11 x 6 x 4 cm: the seal has a diameter of 32 mm.
Weight: 344 grams
Age: Late 19th Century, circa 1860s.
Material: The sculpture is made from bronze on a brass foot.
Condition: In good antique condition with only minor signs of wear, consistent with its age.
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