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Victorian era antique seal with an exquisitely hand carved intaglio
Seals have been used for centuries to literally "seal" an envelope with hot wax that is then pressed with a seal such as this one to leave a pattern in the wax which will break if anyone tries to open the envelope therefore preventing tampering, and here is a magnificent Victorian era antique seal with an exquisitely hand carved intaglio on the base. Dating from the 1870's, the seal was made in rolled gold which was a technique that started during the Industrial Revolution. Made by rolling a sheet of gold over a base metal, this allows for a solid sheet of gold to be clad to the metal which can easily be polished and engraved as opposed to gold plating which is done via electricity and is not as strong or long lasting. The elegant form of this seal is just wonderful and will look so beautiful hanging from a chain around the neck and always be such a conversation started. Measuring 42.8mm high, the base measures 31.2mm by 26.5mm and is set with a hand carved intaglio in rock crystal. The quality of this intaglio is up there with the best of the best and the amount of time that would have been needed to hand carve this would have been immense. Combine this with the fact that this was all done approximately 140 years ago, and this makes it even more astonishing. From every angle that you look at it, this is no doubt one of the finest antique seals around, and one that will always be commented on for its style and grace. Stock# ES8062 Circa: 1870 $1,600
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Antique seal set with an eagle and a snake
"Sealing" a letter goes back to Roman times and was when after a letter was written and placed in an envelope, the envelope would be sealed with wax, and the writer would stamp the still warm wax with his or her seal to prevent the wrong person from opening the letter, as once broken, this would show evidence of someone opening the letter, and here is a very attractive and unique antique seal set with an eagle and a snake from the Victorian era.
Made in 18ct gold, this seal dates from around the 1860's and is set on the base with an uncarved piece of sardonyx which is from the quartz family and was often used for seals due to its hardness.
Designed with a wonderful eagle and a snake, these two animals have so much detail and make this seal so incredible.
Measuring 26mm high, the oval base measures 19mm by 15.5mm and this seal will look so good on the end of a fob chain if worn by a gent or as a magnificent pendant on a lovely solid chain.
Antique seals are such a reminder of a time gone by and this one is just so attractive and special. Stock# ES7119 Circa: 1860 $2,200
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Antique seal with a serpent
Dating from the 1870's this antique seal with a serpent has such a unique and character filled style to it and will continue to look increrdible when worn around the neck or even used as a seal. This technique of sealing a letter, goes back as far as Roman times and after a letter was sealed with wax, the writer would stamp the still warm wax with his or her seal to prevent the wrong person from opening the letter, as once broken, the wax seal could not be used again and this was a technique used all the way through to the Victorian era. Made in 18ct gold, it even used two colours of gold - yellow gold and the rare green gold that can be seen towards the bottom of the seal. And then of course there is the fabulous serpent that wraps itself around and actually becomes the part to hold and attache to a chain. The serpent used to represent longevity and is often found in jewellery from the Victorian era when this seal was made. And then set with a turquoise on the top that really adds some colour, this is such a fantastic seal that from every angle shows something new and unique about it. On the base is a bloodstone base which has remained uncarved and can be carved with an intaglio of your own or left as it is. Bloodstone is a hard material from the quartz family with a dark green body colour and flecks of red through the stone and was a common material used for seals as it is an incredibly durable material. Measuring 20.6mm high by 15.9mm by 13.4mm this antique seal is just so unique and special and a real talking point no matter where or how it is worn or used. Stock# ES7121 Circa: 1820 $2,200
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Antique 15ct gold seal
Going back as far as Roman times, after a letter was sealed with wax, the writer would stamp the still warm wax with his or her seal to prevent the wrong person from opening the letter, as once broken, the wax seal could not be used again and here is a very lovely antique 15ct gold seal dating from the Victorian era. Dating from the 1870's the design alone is just gorgeous and although originally used as a necessary item to seal an envelope, today they look gorgeous hanging from a chain around the neck. This one measures 29.2mm by 24.7mm at the base by 30mm tall and the the intaglio seal itself is made from rock crystal that has been hand carved expertly to show off a family crest. So beautiful in the warm colour of the rose gold, this antique seal really is a way to wear a piece of history around your neck. Stock# ES7000 Circa: 1870 $2,300
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12ct gold antique seal from the 1870’s
Here is a very unique and large 12ct gold antique seal from the 1870's that is so special and will certainly make a statement when it is worn on a chain around the neck. Seals have been used for centuries as a way to prevent someone from tampering with a letter by quite literally sealing the envelope in wax and pressing the seal in which would break once the letter is opened. This antique seal is just incredible for so many reasons. To begin with it is very large for a seal. The base of the seal is made from chalcedony which is a from the quartz family and has been used for centuries in seals do to its hardness, and measures 26.4mm by 22.6mm and is engraved with the initials "LP" and from the base measures 34mm tall or 53mm to the top of the split ring which is attached and can so easily come on and off. The split ring itself is incredibly large and has the exquisite engraved design that mirrors the seal and complements both items so well. These large antique split rings alone are becoming so hard to find and to get one that is original to the seal is quite a find indeed. Please note that the split ring does not stand up on its own, but has been photographed in the upright position to show how it would look hanging from a chain. Then there is the gold content which is 12ct gold which was used for a brief period along with 15ct gold from 1854 until 1931 and this seal has such a wonderful warm colour to it combined with the quite rare gold content makes this even more unique and special. With such an incredible pattern and a massive split ring to match, this is a truly incredible antique seal from the Victoria era that is just so special. Stock# ES6657 Circa: 1870 $3,250
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