Wax seal examples

We'd love to hear about your experiences with wax seals and sealing wax. If you have a small picture, email it to us too! We'll try to put the most creative uses of wax seals here on this page as an example for others.

Great Bear Chocolates of Vermont

(greatbearchocolates.com) use our wax seals as a decorative touch to their products. They make delicious, handcrafted artisan chocolates, using the finest imported and domestic chocolate. Instead of pressing the seals into sealing wax, they press them into different kinds of chocolate. They look great and taste even better!

Claes Fjalling emailed us the following recollection from his childhood:

I am Swedish myself and now 57 years old. From my childhood in Sweden, we always used red sealing wax to fasten the ribbons on the Christmas presents (where the ribbons cross and where the knot with the bow is). And we often put just one or two tiny (say 10 cm) branches from the Christmas tree in the seal. The seal looked REALLY nice and the present SMELLED of Christmas. But they must seal the parcel only one or two days before it is supposed to be given, otherwise the fir branch will dry and the needles will fall off.

Historical wax seals:

The following three examples appear in a museum in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany. Wax seals were often used on official documents.

A marriage certificate with 13 seals, dated 1551.

The Golden Bull of 1356. This document, named after its golden seal is one of the most important documents from the reign of Charles IV, regulating the election and coronation of the German king and the duties and rights of the Electors. It was proclaimed in 1356 in Nuremberg and Metz, and remained in force up to 1806.

Ever wonder why many of the old seals from centuries ago have survived? It's because the sealing wax wasn't dripped on the paper. Instead, as the series of pictures on the left shows, the wax was placed in a wooden form.

First, the cord was passed through the document and laid in a wooden cup-like form. Then uncolored bee's wax was poured on it. The surface was scored in a criss-cross pattern to ensure better adhesion of the colored wax.

Then colored sealing wax was poured on top of the uncolored wax and the seal was pressed into it. Occasionally a wooden top was placed on the form to keep it safe.

Having trouble making seals?

The three buttons to the right will take you to a tip page to help you make perfect wax seals every time, a FAQ page of frequently asked questions, and an example page with pictures of historical and modern examples of wax seals in use.