Gerry's Collection
of Antique Wax Seal Stamps
The Wax Cases Collection
The wax seal stamps are regrouped in various sections to easily explore the collection.
Black Gold Green Orange Masterpieces Silver/Metal Wax Cases White Wood
I have just a few wax seal cases in my collection, since I mainly collect the classic stamps, the ones with a handle. A wax seal case (as its name indicates) … is a case. Inside the case you can put the wax, and the base of the case is engraved with a coat of arms, when the case comes from a noble family. The case is usually beautifully decorated. This one is in silver, and dates back to 1768-1774, according to the seller. It belonged to a Knight.
A masterpiece of my collection. A wax seal case all in gold bought from France. The details of the engraving of the coat of arms are superb and extraordinarily fine. Truly a fabulous historical item. I like the dove with olive branch, which symbolizes peace, hope, and reconciliation. The craftsman who engraved this stamp is really an artist. Even the compartment (the base or supporting element on which a coat of arms stands) is wonderful.
This wax case is not made of gold. It is a “pomponne” wax case, nicely decorated with an alliance coat of arms. It shows the union of Louis Espivent de La Villesboisnet, with Ghislaine de Fontenay. The Espivent de La Villesboisnet family belongs to the nobility of Britany in the Saint-Brieuc region. Its most notable member is General Henri Espivent de La Villesboisnet in the 19th century. This family also played a role in the maritime trade in the 18th century. Arthur, another family member (1809-1897), was Count of Villesboisnet. Ghislaine de Fontenay was born in 1883 and passed away in 1919 at the age of only 36. We can notice 3 crescents in the shields of the Espivent family, which typically symbolizes growth, hope, and renewal. It can also represent a connection to the moon, embodying qualities like intuition and enlightenment.
A wax case in silver. It is small but nicely carved. The coat of arms is interesting because of the shape of the shield, which is rather unusual. The lion is detailed, and the crown of a Count is equally nice. In heraldry, a lion holding a branch is a potent symbol that conveys several meanings. Among others, peace and protection. The branch, often depicted as an olive or laurel branch, symbolizes peace, victory, or goodwill. Together with the lion, it conveys a message of a strong protector who also values peace.
Sometimes I don't know what to think about a "less fine" engraving. Was the craftsman unskilled? Is it so old that the tools of that time were less precise? Or is it a reproduction? In any case, even with a questionable engraving, we can always learn. This one shows a plain Ermine shield. It certainly did not belong to any of them, but such a shield was used by the Dukes of Brittany. We may assume that the stamp was of a noble woman, because of its lozenge shape, until we notice the bishop crosier above the crown. The lozenge shields were used for women but also non-combatant nobles. We could now assume that the stamp was of an ecclesiastic member of the Dukes of Brittany. But it also becomes debatable when reading the motto under the shield: Audaces Fortuna Iu Vat, which translates from Latin to "Fortune favors the bold". A motto that does not to really fit with a member of the church. All this to say that even when we have no clue about the origin of a stamp, it is still a source of historical knowledge when analyzing the symbols.
This silver wax case (dated 1752-1753) is engraved with decorations of shells and draperies. The matrix shows a beautiful coat of arms surmounted by a count's crown. We can't avoid noticing the three very nice stags' cabossed heads. In heraldry, the term "stag" refers to a male deer. The stag is a common heraldic animal representing strength, courage and grace. The stags' heads on this example are "cabossed", meaning that they face forward.
