Sealing Wax & Seal Stamp

Today I was going through my old stuff and I came across this gem. It’s a rose seal stamp with some metallic red sealing wax. An old friend of mine brought it back for me after a trip to China. He knew that I loved to send mail. It was a thoughtful gift but, sadly, I’ve only used it once.

I guess I should put it to good use more often, especially since there are loads of lovely colours available online! I have read, however, that red and black were once the two only acceptable colours. The history of this sealing stamp is quite interesting and it’s a shame that people don’t use it anymore.

This impression is of a rose but there are many other designs, including a monogram of initials. It’s pretty easy to use but does take a bit of time. I imagine it would take ages to seal invitations to a wedding.

The sealing stamp was considered one of the earliest forms of security. If the seal was broken that meant trouble… but now, it’s more of a decorative symbol that reminds us of a time long long ago. Can’t wait to try this out again and use it on some outgoing letters.