Antique French Armorial Wax Seal Fruitwood Brass Ca. 1880
Antique French Armorial Wax Seal Fruitwood Brass Ca. 1880
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A personal desk seal from provincial France, hand-engraved brass matrix seated in a turned fruitwood handle in the classic baluster profile. The armorial shows a shield with mantling and a charge above, set within an oval border, consistent with the personal seals used by French bourgeois and provincial gentry through the second half of the 19th century. I have not been able to identify the specific family, and a fresh wax impression reads the device far more clearly than the matrix itself. The brass carries a warm century-old patina, the wood has darkened honey tones and scattered inclusions from decades of handling, and the engraved lines still hold dark wax residue from genuine use. Sourced in the south of France.
Overall condition is good and consistent with age and genuine use. The fruitwood handle is structurally stable with no splits, cracks, or loose joinery. The surface shows expected handling marks, minor scuffs, and darkened areas from a century of use, all of which contribute to the character of the piece. The brass matrix is solid, not plated, and carries the warm aged patina typical of period brass. Engraved lines retain dark wax residue from use, which reads on the matrix face but prints cleanly in fresh wax. The matrix sits tight in the ferrule with no wobble. Fully functional and ready to use.
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