Gerry's Collection
of Antique Wax Seal Stamps
The White Collection
Seal Stamps with White Handles in Bone, Horn, Ivory, and Mother-of-Pearl
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Looking at the oval shape of the shield, we can assume that this beautiful ivory seal stamp was used by a lady of the Tessinari family. The arms of the family are described as: Azure, a tower proper (or brick-red) surmounted by a wolf passant or statant argent; in chief three mullets or. The wolf is a Romagnol/Tuscan symbol, often tied to vigilance and loyalty.
The Use of Ivory and bone in Wax Seal Craftsmanship. Sealing with Elegance.
Wax seal stamps made of ivory were among the most refined and luxurious writing accessories of the 18th and 19th centuries. Ivory’s smooth grain, natural luster, and warm, creamy hue made it highly desirable for aristocratic and bourgeois owners who valued elegance in even their most practical objects. The material was primarily sourced from elephant tusks originating in British India, Africa, and occasionally Southeast Asia, then shipped to Europe through colonial trade routes. Once in Europe, ivory was worked by specialist turners and carvers, often affiliated with guilds in cities such as Paris, Vienna, and London, who required remarkable skill to shape it without splintering or discoloring it. Handles were frequently turned into fluted baluster forms or carved with Rococo or Neoclassical ornament. An ivory-handled seal was more than a tool; it was a mark of status and taste. In contrast, some wax seal stamps were made from bone, a more modest and accessible material. Bone shared some visual characteristics with ivory but lacked its translucency, density, and fine grain. Bone-handled seals were still valued for their craftsmanship, but they were generally not associated with the same level of refinement or expense. The difference thus lay more in symbolic and social weight, rather than appearance.
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This seal stamp is engraved with the two shields of a marriage alliance between families. The one on the left (Madame) could have belonged to the Merceron or to the de Crozé de Clesmes families, since they used the same arms. A branch of the de Crozé de Clesmes family did settle in Poitou, near the maritime port of La Rochelle. The shield on the right, belonging to the husband, remains unidentified. However, the association with La Rochelle may provide a clue to its origin. Its heraldic composition includes a small galleon, a telescope, a sword, and a moon, strongly suggesting naval connections. Beneath the shields, an anchor and an honorific decoration reinforce this maritime character. Therefore, the husband could be a naval officer, perhaps stationed at La Rochelle, whose heraldry reflects both his profession and his honors. This would explain the maritime symbolism integrated into the arms.
Généalogique des familles du Poitou, 1895
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Joseph de Crozé de Clesmes
Le Nobliaire Universel, 1866
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This wax sealing stamp is engraved with the arms of the du Chambge family. The base of the stamp bears the inscription "Cachet du Baron du Chambge de Liessart," suggesting that it may have belonged to Éléonore Paul Constant, Baron du Chambge de Liessart. He was not a widely known peer but a genealogist and author who belonged to the noble du Chambge de Liessart family of Flanders and Lille. He compiled a regional genealogical and administrative history, notably: Notes historiques relatives aux offices et aux officiers du bureau des finances de la généralité de Lille (Lille, 1855). He is credited on the title page, styled as Baron du Chambge de Liessart. The family has different branches, and notable members include Pierre-Joseph du Chambge d'Elbhecq, Lord of Liessart, and Charles Eubert du Chambge de Liessart.
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This stamp is engraved with the arms of Chevalier Le Bertre, as attested by the document identifying him as « adjudant-commandant ». Both the seal and the painted armorial drawings show the same emblem: a shield of gold charged with a military guidon topped by a crescent, surrounded by a chain arranged in orle. This is not a traditional hereditary coat of arms rooted in medieval lineage, but a personal armorial typical of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic period. Although there is a Le Bertre family in Rouen whose members are well documented as soldiers, I have not been able to link this Chevalier Le Bertre with certainty to the 19th- and 20th-century Le Bertre lineage recorded in Normandy. At this stage of the research, the stamp should therefore be understood as belonging to a Napoleonic-era officer named Le Bertre, who adopted distinctive arms reflecting his rank and career rather than inherited family heraldry.
Arms of Chevalier Le Bertre
Louis Auguste Le Bertre
Project of coat of arms for Chevalier Le Bertre.
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This finely carved seal stamp, engraved with an alliance coat of arms, belonged to a member of the de Bonnault family. However, I have not been able to determine the exact identity of its owner or that of his spouse. The de Bonnault family held the titles of Viscounts of Villemenard and Houët. Although the documented title of the family is viscount, the coronet above the shields is that of a count. Furthermore, a drawing of the arms dated 17 June 1867 bears the inscription “Comte de Bonnault Sauldre,” suggesting that the Sauldre branch of the de Bonnault family may have held the title of count. The coronet on the drawing is however the coronet of a viscount, which is confusing. One notable member of the family was François-Joseph Bonnault d'Houet, born in the 18th century. He was the son of François Antoine de Bonnault, vicomte de Saint-Germain-du-Puy, and Catherine Turpin.
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This seal stamp belonged to Princess Elisabeth Nikolaevna Saltykov (1772–1852) and Charles-Louis-François-Gabriel de Raimond de Mormoiron, Count of Modena (1774–1833). The handle, carved in the shape of a Moorish-style tower, screws open. At its base, an orange stone is engraved with the couple’s coat of arms. The Raimond de Mormoiron arms represent three families who, through marriage, held the lordship of Modena over the centuries. The County of Modena was first granted to the Mormoiron House by Boson II, Count of Provence. In 1279, it passed to the Raimond family, then to the Venasque family, before returning to the Raimonds three generations later. François Raimond, born in 1570, was the first to adopt the name "Raimond de Mormoiron." During the French Revolution, Charles-Louis entered Russian service, where he married Princess Saltykov.
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The handle of this wax sealing stamp is made of mother of pearl, which is not so common for antique stamps. Looking at the base, we can see two different metals: silver and gold. It may be possible that the matrix was reaffixed and the stamp recomposed, suggesting it is not an original. Nevertheless, all pieces can help us learn about history. A family that had similar arms was the Vauquelin family, from Normandy. The Vauquelin family held multiple Norman estates: they were seigneurs of Écajeul and Le Grez, and sieurs of La Brosse. “La Brosse” gave its name to a cadet branch, Vauquelin de la Brosse, within the broader noble Vauquelin lineage of Normandy. Their arms are shown both with a five-pointed mullet (Armorial d’Hozier) and a six-pointed mullet (Nobiliaire de Normandie), depending on the source.
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This 19th-century antique wax seal stamp features the coat of arms of the French Cugnon d'Alincourt family: Sable, three stirrups Argent. The surname Cugnon derives from a village in Wallonia, the the modern-day province of Luxembourg, Belgium. The earliest documented lord of the place was Algidus (or Gilles) de Cugnon, appearing in charters from the mid‑12th century, notably around 1173 and 1187 as a knight and ally of the Counts of Chiny. However, one of the younger branches of the family has migrated into northeastern France. Pierre de Cugnon, cited as lord of Saint‑Benoît (in Champagne), is recognized as the ancestor of the Cugnon d’Alincourt, de Sévricourt, and de Vandy branches, and adopted the arms charged with three stirrups.
Seal of Cugnon de St-Benoit and d'Alincourt
Cugnon in the County of Chiny, 11th century
Adrien de Cugnon d'Alincourt at the battle of Sedan
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Buying antique wax sealing stamps online can sometimes feel like a gamble. This one comes from Germany and had been "on my radar" for several months. I finally decided to buy it, and it turned out to be a really beautiful stamp. However, I'm not sure who it originally belonged to. It was sold as a stamp from "Les ouvriers de Longwy," meaning "The workers of Longwy." Not particularly noble, of course, but still a very nice stamp.
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An elegant ivory-handled wax seal stamp engraved with a heraldic cross of St. Andrew. Typically depicted as a saltire, this diagonal cross is often associated with St. Andrew and symbolizes bravery. Although I could not identify the its owner, this seal stamp may have belonged to the Hauteville (also spelled as d'Auteville) family, from Normandy.
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This ivory seal stamp features the alliance coat of arms of Gasparine Marie Charlotte de Loyac, who married Jacques Raymond de La Béraudière in 1834. The de Loyac family were the lords of La Bachelerie. A notorious member of the family of her husband, the de La Béraudière family, is Louise. She was born in 1530 and was Lady in Waiting of Queen Catherine de' Medici. She was also known as "La belle Rouhet". Louise de la Béraudière was the mistress of several members of the royal family as well as prominent writers of the 16th century. Who would have thought? Louise de la Béraudière's origins are a subject of debate. She is the daughter of Louis de la Béraudière, Seigneur de Sourches et de Rouhet, and Marquis de l’Isle Jourdain. However, some sources suggest that her mother was Louise de Guiche - the aunt of Henriette de la Guiche, wife of Louis de Valois, Duke of Angoulême - rather than her father’s legitimate wife, Madeleine du Fou. She had an affair with King Antoine of Navarre and is said to have given birth to Charles III de Bourbon (1554–1610) as a result of their relationship.
Tapestry with the La Béraudière family coat of arms.
Arms of the de Loyac family.
Portrait of Louise de la Béraudière du Rouhet
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This small seal stamp, with its handle made of carved bone, is engraved with the arms of the Conti Rangone (often also written Rangoni). In Italian nobility Rangone and Rangoni are variant spellings referring to the same aristocratic family originally from the Modena–Emilia region. They appear in historical records from the 12th century onward as a powerful consorteria nobiliare, with members serving as podestà, condottieri, governors, and holders of feudal titles in Modena and the surrounding territories. Over the centuries, branches of this house held various ranks, including conti (counts) as well as marquises, and used both “Rangoni” and “Rangone”. Today, branches of the family still exist. One line traces descent from the first-born branch of the Rangoni marquises, historically associated with titles including Rangoni Terzi. Another stems from the cadet line sometimes styled Rangoni Machiavelli. Members of both lines have borne the title of count. The family’s historic seats and activities center on Reggio Emilia and Modena in northern Italy.
Arms of Rangoni in Estense University Library
Portrait of Costanza Rangoni, Countess Gozzadini
Arms of Rangone in "Teatro araldico", 1847
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This is very beautiful sealing stamp belonged to Raymond Alexandre Durant de Mareuil (1818–1887), who Married Charlotte Alexandrine Dannery. Raymond was the youngest son of Joseph Alexandre, and his second wife, Christine Caroline von Schott. While Raymond's father was a French career diplomat, who served as Ambassador to the United States from 1824 to 1830, he himself did not hold a major political office like his father or older brother (Jean-Joseph). The family were barons of Mareuil, but Joseph became Count of Mareuil in 1846. Raymond's wife, Charlotte Alexandrine Dannery (1834–1886), was the daughter of Jean Germain Samuel Adams Dannery (1795–1837), a French diplomat who served as consul general in Boston. Her grandmother, Julie Madeleine Sophie Forget (1762–1846), known as the Baronne Dannery, served as the governess for the Spanish princesses Zénaïde and Charlotte, daughters of King Joseph Bonaparte, and later became the superintendent of the Maison d'éducation de la Légion d'honneur in Saint-Denis.
Joseph Alexandre Jacques Durant de Mareuil
Alliance seal Durant de Mareuil and Dannery
The baroness Dannery holding her son.
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This is an exception in my collection. Besides being the smallest wax seal stamp I have, it is also not engraved with a family coat of arms. Even so, it is a very cute little stamp. This engraving does not seem to resemble a specific major historical figure well enough to match known portraits. If the seal belonged to someone involved in the arts or sciences, it might represent an admired author or scholar but stylized rather than portrait-accurate. Or maybe was it a family ancestor.
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This elegant wax seal stamp made of ivory features a beautiful crown above a shield bearing arms similar to the renowned German noble family Leiningen: Azure, three eagles argent, beaked and membered gules. This is the original and most ancient coat of arms of the House of Leiningen, which has since produced several family branches. The Leiningens are an ancient Uradel house from the Palatinate (Rhineland-Palatinate), with records going back to the 11th century. With titles such as count and prince, they held imperial immediacy - called Reichsunmittelbarkeit) - meaning they were direct vassals of the Holy Roman Emperor, not subordinate to local princes. Over time, they divided into multiple lines, such as Leiningen-Westerburg, Leiningen-Dagsburg, and Leiningen-Hartenburg. While a pure German noble family, they also acquired lands in the French region of Alsace Lorraine.
Count Frederick II von Leiningen (d. 1237)
Count von Leiningen-Dagsburg-Heidesheim.
Arms of the von Leiningen with marks of cadency
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This is a very nice sealing stamp of the Spanish Onis family. The Onís family is a Spanish lineage with historical significance, particularly in diplomacy. Genealogic records date back to the early 16th century. Originally from Torre de Villoria, a historical tower in the province of Cuenca, Spain, the family relocated to Salamanca in the mid-17th century. While the surname is relatively rare, it is most prevalent in Spain, especially in Madrid, and also found in regions like Honduras and Nicaragua. Luis de Onís y González-Vara (1762–1827) is a notable member of the family. A distinguished Spanish diplomat, Luis de Onís is renowned for negotiating the Adams-Onís Treaty of 1819 with U.S. Secretary of State John Quincy Adams. This treaty resulted in Spain ceding Florida to the United States and defined the western boundaries of the Louisiana Purchase.
Full arms of Don José de Onís
Stamp of the Onis family
The coat of arms of the Spanish Onis family
Don Luis de Onís y González-Vara
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The origin of stamp from Austria remained unknown until Evrard van Z(…), a member of the Facebook group CímerkedvelÅ‘k köre, helped with its identification. The engraved alliance arms indicate that the lady belonged to the Härdtl family (also recorded as von Härdtl or von Haerdtl), from Austria and Germany, but also in the Czech Republic. A titled branch of the family is known under the name Freiherrn (Barons) von Härdtl within the Austro-Hungarian Empire, explaining the presence of a coronet with seven pearls in the coat of arms on the seal. One prominent representative of this family was Guido Freiherr (Baron) von Haerdtl (1859–1928), who was Austrian Interior Minister from 1908 to 1911. While I cannot identify with certainty the arms of the husband, similar arms are the ones of Karl Wermann, an Austrian born in Salzburg, who was the personal secretary of the last Austro-Hungarian monarch, Charles I.​
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Josef, Baron von Härdtl (1821-1884)
Arms of Härdtl family (von Härdtl or von Haerdtl)
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Guido, Baron von Haerdtl (1859–1928)
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This is the wax seal stamp of my own family, which marked the beginning of this collection. I received it from my father, and it is probably one of the nicest gifts I’ve ever received. Our family’s coat of arms features eagles, symbolizing strength, courage, and nobility. Our family has two mottos. I believe that the better known is Preux et Loyal (Courageous and Loyal), which emphasizes honor and straightforward conduct. It is a guideline in my own personal life. The other motto is "Qui Ruse S'abuse", which could be translate to “He who uses cunning only fools himself”. The phrase carries a moral message typical of early modern mottos: those who rely on trickery or manipulation ultimately harm themselves rather than others. The history of our family - as all other families - is interesting, but I find the mottos of the van der Straten family rather appealing.
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This beautifully carved ivory wax sealing stamp is engraved with the arms of Armand-Louis Delorme. Born in 1773, he was Chef d’escadron, 3e régiment de chasseurs à cheval, and created chevalier de l’Empire by letters patent, May 1808​
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While the origin of this seal stamp remains unknown, there is a French family, the Privat (or Privas) de Fressenel, that bears a similar coat of arms. However, it is important to observe that the cross on the stamp is a “cross couped" (croix alésée), as its arms do not extend to the edges of the field. In heraldry, such a detail makes all the difference.
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Looking at the shape of the shield, this seal stamp may have belonged to Marie Girard du Demaine, born de Rémusat. She was the wife of Count Jean Joseph Roger Girard du Demaine, who was the mayor of Avignon. Some research shows that the Girard du Demaine family used several variations of the coat of arms. Originally it was "Azure, a cross argent". But later versions include "Quarterly: 1st and 4th, Gules, a lion Or; 2nd and 3rd, Azure, five billets Argent. Overall, Or, a cross Azure", while in other versions the cross is Argent on Azure (version pictured). So, it is probable that different branches adopted different variations to differentiate themselves. The coat of arms engraved on this stamp presents one more variation. Indeed, the lions are apparently on an Argent background. Having noticed these variations, it is nevertheless very probable that the stamp belonged to a member of the Girard du Demaine family. Also, while Roger was a Count, some sources mention the crown of Marquis on the coat of arms.
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A beautiful ivory sealing stamp, engraved with the coat of arms representing the alliance between Baron Alfred Faure de Lilate and Marie Camille de Ponsort (deceased in 1909, married in 1873). Ivory was highly valued as a material for seal stamp handles, particularly in the 18th and 19th centuries, because of its unique combination of practical and aesthetic qualities. Artisans could create delicate details, such as classical busts, scrolls, foliage, or allegorical scenes, with high precision.
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Combining simplicity with pure elegance, this ivory and silver desk sealing stamp displays the alliance coat of arms uniting Jacques de Loynes du Houlley and Marguerite d'Argouges. Jacques, son of Émilien and Baron du Houlley alongside his brother Ernest, was a military man. Marguerite, the youngest child of Henri d'Argouges, belonged to a major Norman family. Her house was distinguished by its many noble titles, such as Marquis de Rannes and de Gratot, Comte d'Argouges, Baron d'Annebecq, as well as lordship over vast lands including the seigneuries of Donville, Morillon, and Vaux. The d'Argouges family has a long history of nobility and service, since Rollo the Viking, first Duke of Normandy. But, as it is related in the page about the family, there are also interesting tales about their Château de Gratot, which is said to have been haunted...
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This nicely carved wax sealing stamp is engraved with the arms of the Sain de Bois-le-Comte family, which belongs to the French nobility since the 17th century. The family owned properties and exercised seigneurial rights, notably through Martin Sain and later Claude Sain de Bois-le-Comte, lord of Saint-Médard d’Esvres.
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A very nice silver seal stamp, engraved with the coat of arms of Charles Armand, Duc de Maillé (1770–1837), featuring the crown of a Duke and the mantle of a Peer of France. Charles Armand de Maillé was a Field Marshal, Knight of the King's Orders, and became Duke and Peer of France in 1820. The banner under the shield displays the family motto, "Stetit Unda Fluens" in Latin, which translates to "Stay above the flow". Could the (Or) shield charged with three red (Gules) nebuly fesses refer to the motto? A nebuly fess in heraldry often symbolizes water waves. The Duchy of Maillé (Pair de France) was created in 1784 for Charles René de Maillé de La Tour-Landry, who came from the junior line of the family. He was the first Duke of Maillé. (Ai)
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This wax sealing stamp was acquired in Germany. The handle is made of bone, which, while less prestigious than ivory, still lends the piece an elegant appearance and develops a pleasing patina over time. Notably, the eagles engraved on the shield and crest stand out. Their wings are extended straight, as if gliding, an uncommon depiction, as eagle wings are typically shown spread wide or raised.
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In many cases, it is not possible to determine the owner of an antique wax seal stamp. In this instance, the only connection I found to this coat of arms is René du Puy. He was serving as abbot of Cormery from 1508 to 1519. The link between this stamp and René du Puy comes from the same coat of arms appearing on his tomb in the Abbaye of Cormery, located in the French department of Indre-et-Loire. However, the stamp features a marquis’s crown, which suggests it may not have belonged to René, as he was a member of the clergy. He was, however, the brother of Jacques du Puy, Seigneur de Nazelles. Additionally, an online search reveals another figure, Jacques du Puy-Montbrun, who was the 15th Marquis and Lord of Rochefort. The marquisate in this context appears to have been a courtesy title rather than an officially recognized noble rank. As a result, the precise origin of this stamp remains uncertain.
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This nice ivory desk seal stamp belonged to Albert de Sonis (Born in 1854), who was married to Marie Pajot de Juvisy de Montferrand (Born in 1862). Albert was the son of General Louis-Gaston de Sonis, the 1st Count of Sonis. Louis-Gaston was a Count of the Roman Nobility, which was historically a title granted by the Pope, part of the Papal nobility system. Unlike hereditary noble titles from monarchies, a Roman title of Count could be either personal (for the recipient only) or hereditary. On their side, the Pajot family were the Marquis of Villiers, Lords of Saint-Aubin and Marcheval. The great-grandfather of Marie, Charles Pajot de Juvisy, born in 1769, married to Louise de Montferrand, creating the Pajot de Juvisy de Montferrand branch of the family.
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This is a finely crafted seal stamp, notable for its ivory handle and silver base. The handle features a detailed carving of a knotted rope or cord. Based on a listing in the Armorial du Marquisat de Franchimont (Verviers, Belgium), this stamp could have belonged to Henry Goffin, or a member of his family.
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Although I purchased this seal stamp without knowing its original owner, the lozenge shape of the seal indicates that it was used by an unmarried noblewoman of the Crussol d'Uzès family. Based on the heraldic elements, it may have belonged to Anne or Anne-Charlotte de Crussol d'Uzès. They were the daughters of Jean-Charles, Prince of Soyons, 7th Duke of Uzès, 3rd Duke of Montausier, Marquis of Assier, Rambouillet and Pisani, Count of Crussol, and Lord of Lévis. The quartered coat of arms refers to a long lineage and alliances with the families de Gourdon de Genouillac, de Turenne, de Lévis, and the lordship of Assier (or Acier). The House of Crussol, is a surviving family of the French nobility, originating from Languedoc. The family was granted the title of Duke of Uzès in 1565 and elevated to the Peerage in 1572. It holds the distinction of being the oldest ducal title and the oldest peerage in France.
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Gerry's Collection of Antique Seal Stamps.