Letter Wax Seal Views

• General Goods

Seals are used to authenticate documents, applied directly to the face of the document, or attached to the document by cords or ribbons (often in the owner's liveries), or to a narrow strip of the document, sliced and folded down, as a tail but not detached from the document. This helped maintain authenticity by not allowing the reuse of the seal. If a forger tried to remove the seal in the first case, it would break. In the other cases, although the forger could remove the seal intact by ripping the cords from the paper, he would still have to separate the cords to attach it to another document, which would destroy the seal as well because the cords had knots tied in them inside the wax seal. Most governments still attach seals to letters patent. While many instruments required seals for validity (i.e. the deed or covenant) it is rather uncommon for private citizens to use seals anymore, although in some parts of the world it remains common in private and public sector business.

Seals were applied to letters and parcels to indicate whether or not the item had been opened since the seal was applied. Seals were used both to seal the item to prevent tampering, as well as to provide proof that the item was actually from the sender and was not a forgery. To seal a letter, for example, a letter writer would compose the letter, fold it over, pour wax over the joint formed by the top of the page of paper, and then impress a ring, metal stamp, or other device. Governments would often send letters to citizens under the governmental seal for their eyes only. These were called letters secret. Seals are no longer commonly used in this way, except for ceremonial purposes.

Family Crest Design Initial Wax Seal - choose from a wide range of fonts, 2 letters (or 2 letters including the & symbol ( runes are also available). A proof is always supplied prior to engraving. Available in Large Round 2.6cm size ONLY. Please only submit one font choice - see left menu 'Font Styles' for the full range available.

Pick up the seal and press it on the hot wax. Remove the seal and the wax will remain holding the paper together, and bearing the seal's imprint. Historically seals were very personal, and each person had their own. Not only did they close a letter, they were sometimes official signs of authority to go with a signiture. You may wish to make your own seal.