Gerry's Collection
of Antique Wax Seal Stamps
The White Collection
The wax seal stamps are regrouped in various sections to easily explore the collection.
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This 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.
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.
This nice ivory 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.
This is a finely crafted antique wax seal stamp, notable for its ivory handle and silver base. The handle features a beautifully detailed carving of a knotted rope or cord. Based on the style of the carving, this piece could date from the late 18th to early 19th century. The arms are: Gules, a fess Azure charged with a crescent, between three mullets (2 in chief, 1 in base). The crescent is often used as a cadency mark for a second son in English heraldry but also appears in French and Italian arms symbolizing hope or a victorious second crusade.
Although I purchased this stamp without knowing its original owner, I’ve managed to narrow down the possibilities significantly. The lozenge shape of the seal indicates that it was used by an unmarried noblewoman. 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.
This is a double-ended wax seal stamp, an elegant and relatively uncommon type of noble seal. Such designs were particularly fashionable in the late 18th to early 19th century, especially in France, Italy, and parts of Germany. This configuration was most often used to display the heraldic arms of a married couple—one end bearing the husband’s arms, the other those of his wife’s family or, as in this example, a monogram.
The handle of this nice seal stamp is hand-carved in ivory, with Rococo-style ornamentation, floral motifs and volutes. This style was especially popular in the mid to late 18th century. Ivory handles of this quality were typically associated with noble or high bourgeois ownership, as ivory was expensive and symbolic of refinement. The coat of arms could be read as: "Arms: Per fess Argent and Azure, in chief a lion rampant, supported by a lion and a dog (?), the whole ensigned with a coronet of rank.
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Gerry's Collection of Antique Seal Stamps.