Gerry's Collection
of Antique Wax Seal Stamps
Heraldry
Addressing some questions that one may have regarding wax seal stamps and heraldry.
Why Collect Antique Wax Seal Stamps?
Heraldry is fascinating because it sits at the intersection of identity, symbolism, history, and art, and it does so with a structure that’s both richly codified and deeply personal. A coat of arms is essentially a visual biography. Every color, line, symbol, and pattern tell a story about lineage, virtue, conquest, land, alliances, or personal achievement.
Unlike logos or flags, heraldry follows rigid rules, but within those rules, there's infinite variety. A lion isn’t just a lion. Its color, posture, and placement say everything about the bearer’s character or ambition. Heraldry is a portal into family history. Tracing a coat of arms can reveal noble ancestors, lost titles, or forgotten stories. While the grammar of heraldry is shared across Europe (and beyond), each region, like France, England, Spain, Germany, or Italy, adds its own flourishes, rules, and cultural references.
Heraldry survives on wax seals, carved stone, engraved rings, old books, or even stained glass, making it tangible and collectible.
For a collector like me, the coats of arms engraved on the wax seal stamps in my collection are more than decorative, they are a remarkable source of knowledge, each bearing witness to centuries of history. Studying antique seal stamps is like stepping into history and forgotten stories.
Have Coats of Arms always been Reserved for Nobles?
No, coats of arms have not always been reserved exclusively for nobles.
Although over time they became strongly associated with nobility due to legal, social, and cultural developments, here is an approximate timeline of the evolution of coat of arms in continental Europe and France.
Heraldry emerged in France during the mid-12th century among the knightly class for battlefield identification. At this early stage, arms were personal and not restricted to nobility. Armigers, the persons entitled to use a heraldic achievement, included knights, clergy, burghers, and even some artisans — anyone with the means and status to bear arms.
In the 14th and 15th centuries, as heraldry matured, it became increasingly tied to lineage, landholding, and noble privilege. Kings and heralds began regulating the use of arms more formally. Non-nobles could still bear arms, but it became less common, and they were sometimes subject to disputes or restrictions.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, heraldry became part of noble identity, and arms were seen as proof of nobility (preuves de noblesse). Royal ordinances, particularly under Louis XIV, tried to regulate arms more strictly. For example, the Armorial Général de France (1696) was a massive attempt to register all arms in the kingdom, mainly for taxation purposes. Even commoners were assigned arms (many unwillingly) and had to pay for their inclusion, further blurring the line. This project showed that armorial bearings were not solely noble, though nobility remained the dominant context.
The French Revolution (1789) abolished the nobility and outlawed heraldic insignia for a time, as they were seen as symbols of privilege. Under Napoleon, heraldry was reintroduced but based on merit and office, not birth. In modern France, there is no legal restriction on bearing arms. Anyone may assume arms, though they cannot falsely claim noble rank.
However, even if commoners and bourgeois were allowed to have a coat of arms, heraldic elements such as coronets, banners, and supporters were considered marks of high rank or office, often exclusively reserved for nobility and titled persons. In France, coronets were always strictly regulated and used to indicate rank within the nobility: duke (duc), marquis, count (comte), viscount (vicomte), baron, etc...
Noble arms
Burgher arms
Non-nobles were not entitled to coronets. In royal edicts (especially under Louis XIV), the use of a coronet without the associated noble title could be considered usurpation of nobility, a punishable offense. Supporters were also very restricted in heraldry, traditionally reserved for high nobility. Adding suporters to a coat of arms has always been a privilege, not a right. Supporters signal grandeur and status, similar to how helm types and mantling also indicated rank. Heraldists today still treat coronets and supporters as noble distinctions, and their use by non-nobles is frowned upon unless historical or honorific justification exists.
In my collection of antique seal stamps, the vast majority are engraved with family coat of arms, but not all of these arms belong to families that held a noble title.
The Courtesy Titles and the Usurpers of Nobility.
The term “titres de courtoisie” (courtesy titles) in the context of French nobility refers to unofficial or assumed noble titles that were used socially but not legally recognized by the monarchy or state. The courtesy titles were not granted by the King or even registered, and were often used out of habit, vanity, or social strategy. Courtesy titles were common among families whose true title was lower or nonexistent.
For example, a simple écuyer (squire) might call himself “marquis” or “comte” in private life. A seigneur (lord of a manor) could be called “baron” even if he held no barony. Members of noble but untitled families might invent higher titles for social status, especially in the 18th century. It is important to add that these titles were often accepted in society, even if not legal.
An example of a person using a courtesy title was the "Comte de Saint-Germain" (1710–1784). He was a mysterious figure, possibly born to lesser nobility or even a commoner. He styled himself "Comte de Saint-Germain", though there is no record of a royal grant of the comital title. He was accepted in the society as a count, largely due to his charisma, wealth, and mysterious background. The “Comte de Saint-Germain” is a classic case of a self-assumed titre de courtoisie that was tolerated socially, despite no legal basis.
There were also "fake nobles", who were known as "usurpateurs de noblesse" (Usurpers of nobility).
Wealthy bourgeois families would buy land, adopt coats of arms, and style themselves as barons or counts. This became particularly common in the 17th and 18th centuries, especially under Louis XIV and XV. Moreover, some real nobles, especially poor provincial ones, would inflate their title socially. In this case, a minor noble might call himself “vicomte” or “marquis” even if his official rank was of the much lower écuyer.
An example of such a fake noble was Louis de Saint-Aignan, who styled himself as “Comte de Saint-Aignan”, a title previously held by an extinct legitimate noble house. He even went as far as forging baptismal and lineage records to support his claim. The d’Hozier genealogical office investigated his background. They found no link to the original noble family, and he was traced back to a bourgeois merchant line from Orléans. His forged documents were confiscated, and his coat of arms was declared falsely assumed. He was fined and legally forbidden to use any noble title or heraldic arms, and his property was taxed as roturier (non-noble) land, and he lost access to noble privileges.
The monarchy periodically investigated these cases of fake nobility via the "Grande enquête sur la noblesse", for example the great survey done under Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Louis XIV’s finance minister, in 1666–1674). After inquiries by the Chambre de la Noblesse, false title use could result in fines, loss of noble privileges, or being struck from the noble rolls if they were deemed usurpers. The d’Hozier family (heralds and genealogists of the Ancien Régime) maintained massive records of verified noble titles. During Louis XIV’s reign, they were tasked with identifying legitimate vs. false nobles, and many "usurpers" were exposed.
Count of Toulouse
(Legitimate title)
Count of St. Germain
(Courtesy title)
Over 2,800 families were found to be usurping nobility under Jean-Baptiste Colbert's massive national investigation aimed to verify all noble titles. So, it is totally plausible, even probable, that some wax seal stamps in my collection could have belonged to usurpers of nobility and bearers of titres de courtoisie (Courtesy titles), who also created their coat of arms and made stamps to seal documents. But even so, I still consider these stamp as very valuable historical objects.
The Tax under Louis XIV that led to a Massive Increase of Arms.
Some might wonder why the are so many registered coat of arms in France, many more than in other countries.
This large number of coats of arms in France, particularly from the late 17th century onward, is closely tied to a state-driven initiative under Louis XIV, who imposed a tax on coats of arms as part of his broader fiscal strategy. This initiative, known as the "Armorial Général de France", was not only about controlling or verifying noble status, but also about raising revenue for the crown. In1696, Louis XIV issued an edict requiring all individuals and institutions who used, claimed, or were entitled to a coat of arms to register it. This was part of various fiscal measures taken during the expensive War of the League of Augsburg. It applied to nobles, bourgeois, clergy, merchants, guilds, towns, and even peasants, if they were seen as wealthy enough or using a heraldic device.
The edict led to the creation of an official armorial registry: the Armorial Général de France, compiled by Charles d’Hozier and his successors. People were required to register their arms and pay a tax - typically 20 livres - for the privilege. Registration was compulsory, and refusal could result in fines or the imposition of arms by the crown.
If someone refused or didn’t have a coat of arms, local officials (heralds and officers) assigned arms to them anyway, often arbitrarily. These "invented" arms were still taxed.
This is why you’ll see thousands of arms, even for families with no noble background or heraldic tradition. Over 110,000 coats of arms were registered in the Armorial Général. The result is a surprising and inflated number of arms in France compared to England or Germany, where heraldic regulation was more closely tied to nobility.
So, in essence, many people in France ended up with a coat of arms not by heritage, but by taxation. Some arms are meaningful, while others are fanciful creations of bureaucrats. This explains the unusually high number of coats of arms found in French records, especially post-1696. So, the majority of the French coat of arms were not noble. Most modern historians estimate that only 10–15% of the arms registered in the Armorial Général were held by the nobility. In Lyon, for example, which is a predominantly commercial city, over 90% of entries were non-noble. In rural provinces, nobility might represent a slightly higher proportion, but never the majority.
Even so, collecting wax seal stamps with family coats of arms is still historically highly interesting. While some stamps may carry fancy arms of wealthy bourgeois, politicians, prosperous farmers, or even craftsmen, they still carry with them the family's past history.
Louis XIV
A certificate of a coat of arms painted at the time of registration.
Of course, most of the non-nobles who were imposed a coat of arms under the reign of Louis XIV did not have a wax seal stamp, which is the reason why most of the stamps in my collection are from noble families.
Many non-nobles listed in the Armorial Général had no tradition of armorial usage, let alone a personal seal. Only certain individuals or institutions would find a seal necessary. The nobles, clergy, and officials needed seals for authenticating documents, showing lineage or authority. Bourgeois professionals sometimes needed them for contracts, deeds, or professional prestige. But merchants and artisans, peasants or common townspeople had no administrative need and little access to heraldic culture. It is safe to say that the majority of non-nobles who were imposed a coat of arms had no wax seal stamp at all.
Charles de Vienne
Count of Caumartin
Claude Debolaz
non-noble sergeon
The Hierarchy of the Nobility.
The European nobility developed a structured hierarchy that varied from country to country but generally followed a recognizable pyramid of ranks. Even so, it is sometimes confusing. The coronets (or rank crowns), for example, do vary significantly from country to country, both in design and symbolic hierarchy.
Royalty, the sovereign ruler, the Crown Prince, and the princes, are not considered nobles. They are above the nobility. But even so, some royals also hold noble titles. For example, the King of England’s sons are Dukes of York, Sussex, Edinburgh, etc. They hold noble titles but are royal first and foremost.
Below royalty are the following titles: Prince (not descendant of the sovereign), Duke, Marquis, Count (or Earl in England), Viscount, Baron, Knight (Chevalier), Squire (Ecuyer), Lord (Seigneur).
A French Duke governs an entire region and plays an important role in the organization of the kingdom. Comparable to a governor, he exercises his authority over a duchy in the name of the king. Dukes also bear the title of the king’s cousins and hold military and judicial powers.
Marquis is a leader who holds military authority over a march or marquisate. He has the power to raise an army even without having received direct orders from the king. Today, it is simply a noble title ranking below a duke and above a count.
Count is a title held by a noble entrusted with the administration of a province or county. He may exercise judicial, military, and economic powers, and can confer noble titles.
Viscount is a hereditary noble title granted to an officer with authority over a viscounty. This title is still held today, but no power is attached to it. The rank of viscount is below that of count and above that of baron.
Baron was a title granted to aristocrats who held their fief directly from the sovereign. They exercised their authority over a territory called a barony. Barons rank above knights.
Knight is a title granted to a noble within an order of chivalry. The knight has the right to bear a coat of arms and holds authority over vassals and a fief.
Squire (Écuyer) is a title originally granted to young noblemen serving as assistants or shield-bearers to knights. In France, it evolved into a formal and hereditary rank of untitled nobility, just below chevalier (knight), and remained a common designation in noble families. In England, the term squire took on a broader meaning, referring to aspiring knights or landed gentlemen, especially in rural society.
The High Nobility (Dukes, Marquesses, Counts, Viscounts, Barons) almost always bore coats of arms, often highly elaborate and inherited over centuries. Arms were essential for legal identity, territorial claims, and public recognition. Knights were also bearing arms, which was a defining feature of knighthood. For the Squires it was a bit different. In France, Écuyer (Squire) was legally noble, and entitled to bear arms, even if they weren’t particularly ornate. However, their arms might not always be recorded unless they sought registration, especially in later centuries. In England, however, Squires were often gentry. Many bore arms, but not all. Only those with proven gentility could legally bear arms, often granted by the College of Arms.
King
Emperor
Prince
Duke
Marquis
Count
Viscount
Baron
Knight
Squire
The use of wax seal stamps was very common (but not universal) among the noble families. Wax seals were used on official documents (edicts, legal contracts, property claims), on personal correspondence, marriage contracts, alliances, and feudal acts, etc... Their seals bore their coat of arms and sometimes supporters, motto, coronet, or helm.
Who Formalized the Heraldic Elements?
Marcus Vulson de la Colombière (c. 1598–1674) was one of the key figures in defining and formalizing heraldic components in France during the 17th century, especially in terms of how they were represented in engravings and treatises. While he did not invent these elements, he was instrumental in standardizing their symbolic use and visual representation and greatly contributed in solidifying many of the conventions still recognized in heraldry today. Many heraldic elements he described existed centuries earlier, but he helped formalize them into a consistent and teachable system. His most notable work has been "La Science héroïque", one of the most influential heraldic treatises in 17th-century, richly illustrated and sought to create a complete system of heraldry, combining legal, historical, and visual dimensions. He contributed to the codification of heraldic components, such as:
Shield shapes: He detailed distinctions between shield shapes used by different ranks and regions.
Coronets and crowns: He detailed the crowns of rank (duke, count, marquis, baron, etc.).
Supporters and tenantes: He explained their symbolic and hierarchical use.
Helm: He provided illustrated systems for helm styles by rank.
Mantling: He did set conventions for mantling colors and designs.
Ordinaries and subordinaries: He analyzed their forms and rules of tincture in a structured way.
Blazoning rules: He laid out consistent rules for how to describe coats of arms.
Marcus Vulson de la Colombière also worked closely with engravers and emphasized consistency in visual heraldry, influencing how arms were rendered in books, armorials, and on seal matrices.
Who Conceived the System to Identify the Colors on Wax Seals?
The use of patterns to indicate heraldic tinctures (colors) on wax seal stamps, engravings, and prints dates back to the early 17th century, with the most standardized system attributed to Silvester Petra Sancta, a Jesuit priest and heraldist.
Before 1600, heraldic colors on wax seals were generally understood through tradition and context, since color was not easily reproducible in engraving or wax. In 1638, Silvester Petra Sancta published "Tesserae gentilitiae", introducing a system of hatching (specific patterns of lines and dots) to represent heraldic tinctures in black-and-white engravings. This system became widely adopted in Europe.
In 1645, a similar hatching system was independently published by Marcus Vulson de la Colombière, though Petra Sancta’s version is the one most often credited and used.
Wax seals themselves, being monochrome and impression-based, do not reproduce colors directly. But engravers often followed the hatching system in the engraved matrix to suggest the correct tinctures. This would allow a heraldist viewing the seal impression to deduce the original colors.
So while wax seal stamps existed much earlier, the formal hatching system used to indicate heraldic colors in engraved seals began with Petra Sancta’s codification in 1638 and became more common on 17th–19th century armorial seal matrices.
Or (Gold) - a field of dots.
Argent (Silver or white) - left blank.
Gules (Red) - vertical lines.
Azure (Blue) - horizontal lines.
Sable (Black) - a grid of vertical and horizontal lines.
Vert (Green) - diagonal lines from top-left to bottom-right.
Purpure (Purple) - diagonal lines from top-right to bottom left.
The tinctures Aurore (Orange) and Tanné (Brown) are non-standard or rare heraldic colors (sometimes called stains) and do not have universally accepted hatching patterns in the classical Petra Sancta system.
Or
(Gold)
Argent
(Silver or White)
Gules
(Red)
Azure
(Blue)
Sable
(Black)
Vert
(Green)
Purpure
(Purple)
Marcus Vulson de la Colombiere
with an engraver
Who Invented the Heraldic Vocabulary?
When learning about heraldry we sometimes feel that it is also like learning a new language.
The special vocabulary used in heraldry - like dexter, sinister, azure, gules, and so on - was developed for clarity, precision, and consistency in describing coats of arms across Europe, especially in formal documents and registers. Heraldry indeed needed a standardized way to describe very complex designs in a concise, unambiguous way. Ordinary language could be vague or open to interpretation. Heraldic blazoning allows a reader to reconstruct the coat of arms just from the words. Latin-based vocabulary (like dexter and sinister) allowed heralds and scribes from different regions (France, England, Germany, Italy, etc.) to communicate across borders more easily during the Middle Ages, especially in chivalric and noble contexts where Latin was still the lingua franca. The field of heraldry quickly became highly ritualized. Special terms reinforced the ceremonial, legal, and noble nature of arms, elevating it above everyday speech.
There is however no single inventor of the heraldic language. Instead, the vocabulary emerged gradually from the 13th century onward. Over time, clerics and scribes, often fluent in Latin, adapted classical vocabulary to this new symbolic system. Terms like dexter (Latin for right) and sinister (left) were natural fits, since the shield is described from the bearer’s point of view, not the viewer’s. This avoided confusion when describing mirrored images, such as in wax seal matrices or battle banners. Court heralds (Hérauts d’armes in France, or Kings of Arms in England), were responsible for designing, recording, and reading coats of arms. The chivalric culture, tournaments, and noble lineage, all prompted the need for official registries and protocols for competitions and inheritance, all of which required precise identification.
Knowing the heraldic language was not expected of all nobles, but those deeply engaged in genealogy, court life, or chivalric orders might take pride in understanding it. For example, members of the Order of the Holy Spirit in France or the Garter in England were immersed in heraldic rituals, and some of them cultivated knowledge of these codes.
Others who naturally had to master the heraldic language were the ones who painted the coats of arms in registries.
In France, they were often referred to as “peintres d’armoiries”, and some were even officially appointed by the Crown, especially during large projects like the Armorial Général de France under Louis XIV. In England, they might be called “heraldic artists” or “painters to the College of Arms.”
How to Lose your Noble Title? Become Belgian...
Belgium has the strictest system in Europe regarding foreign nobility. A foreign noble can legally use his title in Belgium only as long as he remains a foreign citizen. The Belgian State recognizes foreign nobility as a courtesy, but not as part of the Belgian nobility. Upon becoming Belgian, a person loses the right to use their foreign title, unless they obtain a royal recognition (reconnaissance de noblesse). Belgian nationality effectively cuts the official link with the foreign nobility. As a result, the title disappears in Belgian law and official usage, even if it continues to be recognized abroad. This strictness stems from the fact that, in Belgium, nobility is considered a national institution tied directly to royal authority, not simply a matter of family tradition.
While the system in the Netherlands is mostly similar to Belgium, the approach varies considerably elsewhere in Europe though.
In France, the nobility was abolished during the French Revolution (1790). Today, noble titles are only courtesy titles without any legal status. There is no official French nobility anymore. A foreigner naturalized French may still use their title socially, as titles have no official recognition in any case.
Spain takes a different approach. It officially recognizes foreign noble titles. A foreign noble becoming Spanish can apply for recognition of their title (convalidación de título extranjero). In many cases, the title is adapted into Spanish form — for example, an Italian marchese may become a Spanish marqués. Spain, therefore, offers a more favorable system for a noble wishing to change nationality while retaining their title.
In Portugal, nobility was abolished in 1910 with the establishment of the Republic. Today, noble titles exist only socially and privately. Foreign noble titles can still be used socially, but they have no legal standing and are not regulated by the government.
In Sweden, nobility still exists, but a foreign noble who becomes Swedish cannot simply transfer their title into the Swedish nobility. Nobility must be granted by the King or historically by the House of Nobility registration. However, since Sweden has not ennobled anyone since the 19th century (except a few rare cases), there is effectively no path for a foreigner to have their nobility officially recognized. However, social use of foreign titles is not forbidden.
So, changing nationality may become a concern for nobles, if they risk losing their titles.
For many noble families, their title is more than a legal status. it is a symbol of their family's history, honor, and continuity. Losing the right to officially use their title could feel like a rupture with their lineage. Especially in families from countries where nobility remains culturally strong (like Poland, Hungary, Spain), the title is part of personal and family identity.
Heraldry of the Future?
Heraldry has survived for centuries, evolving from medieval battlefields to family crests, corporate logos, and even sci-fi interpretations. In 100 years, it’s likely that heraldry will still exist, but in new forms. Even if traditional noble titles fade, the human love for symbols, heritage, and identity won’t. Maybe future wax seals will be digital imprints rather than molten wax, but the essence of heraldry will persist.
I have started a new collection. But it is a collection of images, this time. You can explore my growing archive of AI-generated versions of my antique wax seal stamps here:
Gerry's Collection of Antique Seal Stamps.