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Seal or stamp * gilt bronze with the arms of knight with a shield with 17 shells in a shield flanked by two greyhounds and topped with a helmet, blackened wooden handle, XIXth century.
This seal is in good condition.
A note: small slot on the handle, scratches and slight wear of time, see photos.
Collection object whose oldest examples date back four millennia BC. The seal was first used for affixing the personal stamp of character to ensure the contents of a box or envelope, the authenticity of a document. It also also used the term seal. The little personal touch is indeed used in Europe since the Middle Ages. This may be a ring mounted to a hard stone intaglio, or a gold bezel engraved hollow (the signet rings are something else!). But many more are-fitted seals, made of a hard stone engraved intaglio: carnelian, garnet, sapphire, rock crystal, agate; some are even ancient intaglios. These little pills are sometimes jewelry that is dangling from a chain or the lady; such as boxes, it is often a gift item. These fees vary in size: it is tiny in embedded on pretty mounts chased gold, other 1.5 to 2cm in diameter mounted on a handful of gold, of primping, chased silver, nacre, hard stone, wood ...
** Arms: in terms of heraldry and collection, we say rather "arms". For an object being emblazoned is a quality that can be a source of a slight gain. A coat of arms surmounted by a crown of count or marquis, always flatters the vanity of its owner. The presence of weapons is often a sign of quality and establishes the provenance of an object, however, provided to engage in a heraldic research. (Cf. Larousse antiques and flea market).
