List of Family Names Mentioned in the Collection
Sorted by Alphabetical Order
A PAGE BEING UPDATED
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Adey Ref 304
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Agard de Rouméjoux Ref 4
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Agie de Selsaeten Ref 144
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Albert de Roquevaux (d') Ref 31
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André (d') Ref 86
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Antalóczy Ref 326
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Argouges (d') Ref 180
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Arnauld Ref 95
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Artaud de La Ferrière Ref 82
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Aulmont de Verrières Ref 111
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Auzanet de Bauvaire Ref 29
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Avout (d') Ref 198
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Aymer de La Chevalerie Ref 6
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A — Ancestry
Every antique seal is a trace of ancestry. Behind each impression in wax stands a family, a lineage, and a story carried across generations. These seals preserve not only names and arms, but also the memory of those who once bore them with pride.
B
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Bailly (de) Ref 34
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Banne d'Avéjan (de) Ref 64
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Barde Ref 46
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Beaucorps (de) Ref 70
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Béraudière (de la) Ref 168
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Béziade (de) Ref 2
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Birti von Lavarone Ref 114
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Bleyfuesz Ref 48
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Bochart de Saron Ref 291
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Bodart Ref 317
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Boisbaudry (du) Ref 307
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Bonnault (de) Ref 162
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Bouhelier Ref 300
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Bourdin d’Assy Ref 152
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Bourdeau du Mas Ref 59
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Boyle Ref 52
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Boys d'Hautussac de Pravieux (du) Ref 193
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Braganza Ref 289
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Briey (de) Ref 109
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Brumauld Ref 156
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B — Baronial Estates
From ancient castles to country manors, noble families shaped the landscapes around them. Their seals authenticated letters, charters, and agreements, serving as symbols of authority rooted in land, tradition, and responsibility.
C
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Cais de Pierlas Ref 32
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Calmels d’Artensac Ref 15
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Capialbi Ref 71
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Capitani da Vimercate (de) Ref 58
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Capriol de Saint-Hilaire (de) Ref 87
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Casotti Ref 329
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Caze (de) Ref 1
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Chambge de Liessart (du) Ref 160
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Charlotte of Belgium Ref 102
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Chievres (de) Ref 6
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Claparède Ref 54
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Cognet des Gouttes Ref 299
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Corbet of Moreton Corbet Ref 105
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Cornulier (de) Ref 39
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Couaridou (de) Ref 69
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Coucault Ref 199
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Courtarvel (de) Ref 306
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Croix de Beaurepos (de la) Ref 307
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Crozé de Clesmes (de) Ref 159
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Crussol d'Uzès (de) Ref 187
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Csák von Uray Ref 310
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Cugnon d'Alincourt (de) Ref 165
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C — Castles
For centuries, castles stood as the visible heart of noble families. Within their walls, alliances were forged, inheritances secured, and traditions preserved. Many of the seals presented here once travelled far beyond those ancestral homes.
D
D — Duty
Nobility was often accompanied by duty. Whether serving in royal courts, commanding regiments, or administering estates, generations of noble families were expected to balance privilege with service.
E
E — Etiquette
The noble world was governed by customs and traditions as much as by laws. Courtesy, honour, and etiquette shaped social life at every level. Manners and education reflected a family’s place within the society.
F
F — Falconry
Among the favourite pursuits of European nobility, falconry united sport, skill, and tradition. Across centuries, noble men and women trained birds of prey as symbols of refinement, patience, and aristocratic culture.
G
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Garnier de Falletans Ref 13
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Gayant Ref 5
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Geldern-Egmond zu Arcen Ref 325
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Gigault Ref 295
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Girard (de) Ref 36
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Girard du Demaine (de) Ref 178
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Godard d’Aucourt Ref 68
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Goffin Ref 186
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Grabinstaden Ref 328
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Gradl Ref 76
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Grasset (de) Ref 65
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Grave (de) Ref 117
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Grubb Ref 304
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Gudin Ref 56
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Guéau de Gravelle de Reverseaux Ref 306
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G — Genealogy
Each seal opens a door to genealogy. A name engraved in stone, ivory, silver, or steel can lead to centuries of family history, revealing alliances, inheritances, and connections that shaped the course of generations.
H
H — Heraldry
Heraldry is a language written in colours, symbols, and tradition. Coats of arms told stories long before modern records existed. The seals in this collection preserve that heraldic heritage in its most personal form.
I
I — Ivory
Many of the finest seals were carved from ivory, prized for its beauty and delicate workmanship. These small objects combined artistry and function, transforming everyday correspondence into an expression of identity and status.
J
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Junot d'Abrantès Ref 82
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J — Journeys
Seals travelled wherever their owners went. They crossed mountains, seas, and frontiers attached to letters, passports, and official documents. Today they remain silent witnesses to centuries of movement and exchange.
K
K — Knights
The ideals of knighthood influenced noble society long after the medieval age had passed. Courage, loyalty, and honour remained enduring virtues, celebrated in family traditions and often reflected in heraldic emblems.
L
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Laage (de) Ref 84
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Lacger-Camplong (de) Ref 293
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La Fare (de) Ref 64
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La Fitte (de) Ref 292
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Laire d'Espagny (de) Ref 312
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Lastic (de) Ref 189
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Le Bertre Ref 161
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Le Duc de Lillers Ref 103
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Le Grelle Ref 144
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Leiningen (von) Ref 172
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Lemaire de Marne Ref 312
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Lévézou de Vézins Ref 75
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Leyx de Nussanne Ref 43
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Lowther Ref 78
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Loyac (de) Ref 168
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Loynes du Houlley (de) Ref 180
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Lullin Ref 127
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L — Libraries
Many noble houses assembled remarkable libraries, preserving manuscripts, maps, and family archives. These collections safeguarded memory and learning, much as heraldic seals safeguarded identity and authenticity.
M
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Mahony (O') Ref 13
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Maillé (de) Ref 182
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Mairhofen (von) Ref 41
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Mangold Ref 11
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Manner zu Mätzelsdorff (von) Ref 53
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Maria II of Portugal Ref 289
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Mathieu de Vienne Ref 330
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Maublan Ref 96
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Maublanc de Chiseuil Ref 40
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Maximilian I of Mexico Ref 102
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Mengen Ref 25
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Merceron Ref 159
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Mévius (de) Ref 80
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Missolz (de) Ref 30
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Mohl (von) Ref 121
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Monge Ref 37
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Muelen (van der) Ref 124
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Matraini Ref 329
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M — Manors
Beyond the grandeur of castles, countless noble families lived in manor houses surrounded by fields, forests, and villages. Their seals reflect a world where family, land, and local influence were closely intertwined.
N
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No entry
N — Nobility
The history of European nobility is woven from service, ambition, tradition, and continuity. Each seal represents an individual family, yet together they form part of a larger story spanning centuries and nations.
O
O — Orders
Membership in an order of chivalry was among the highest distinctions a noble could receive. Decorations, collars, and insignia often appeared alongside coats of arms, proclaiming loyalty and honourable service.
P
P — Power
Seals were instruments of power. A simple impression in wax could validate treaties, confirm property rights, or authorize important decisions. Their authority rested not in their size, but in the trust they inspired.
Q
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No entry
Q — Quiet Dignity
Not every noble family sought fame. Many lived lives of quiet dignity, serving their communities and preserving traditions across generations. Their seals remind us that history is often shaped away from the spotlight.
R
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Raguenel Ref 27
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Raimond de Mormoiron (de) Ref 99
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Rainer zu Harbach Ref 131
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Rangone Ref 169
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Reinhart zu Thurnfels Ref 146
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Reding von Biberegg (von) Ref 142
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Reibold (von) Ref 11
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Reininghaus Ref 66
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Reynaud de Bologne de Lascours Ref 86
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Rieu (du) Ref 16
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Robertson of Kindeace Ref 107
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Roll-Montpellier (de) Ref 139
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Rouchet de Chazotte (du) Ref 30
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Ruel d’Omonville (du) Ref 196
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Ruty Ref 47
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R — Royal Courts
For centuries, royal courts attracted noble families from across Europe. There, influence was gained, alliances arranged, and fortunes made. Countless letters sealed with family arms passed through these centres of power.
S
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Saisy de Kerampuil (de) Ref 145
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Sain de Bois-le-Comte Ref 181
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Salme (de) Ref 320
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Saltykov Ref 99
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Santoll Ref 26
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Savoy-Carignan Ref 42
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Schaumburg-Lippe Ref 108
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Senneville (de) Ref 117
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Sforza di Santa Fiora Ref 151
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Sonis (de) Ref 185
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Spaun (von) Ref 3
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Spoelberch Ref 49
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Stendten (von) Ref 132
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Straten (van der) Ref 104
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Sulzer Ref 141
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S — Seals
A seal is more than an object. It is a signature, a symbol, and a fragment of history. Every impression represents a moment when a family chose to leave its mark upon the world.
T
T — Tradition
Traditions gave continuity to noble life. Coats of arms, family mottos, ancestral portraits, and heraldic seals connected one generation to the next, preserving a sense of identity through changing times.
U
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No entry
U — Unity
Families endured through unity. Across centuries, marriages, alliances, and shared responsibilities strengthened noble houses and ensured the preservation of their heritage. Their seals often reflected that collective identity.
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V — Virtue
Heraldry frequently celebrated virtues such as loyalty, courage, wisdom, and perseverance. Whether expressed through mottos or symbols, these ideals reflected the qualities that families hoped to embody and transmit.
W
W — Wax
Wax transformed a seal into a statement of authority. Pressed into warm wax, engraved arms emerged with remarkable clarity. These fragile impressions carried legal, personal, and symbolic significance across generations.
X
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No entry
X — Unknown Stories
Some seals preserve mysteries still waiting to be solved. Their owners may be forgotten, their histories incomplete. Yet each unidentified seal invites new discoveries and reminds us how much remains hidden in the past.
Y
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Y de Résigny (d') Ref 36
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Y — Years
The passage of years gives antique seals their fascination. They have survived wars, revolutions, inheritances, and changing fashions, carrying with them traces of the people and families who once relied upon them.
Gerry's Collection of Antique Seal Stamps.