History of Wax Seals

Have you ever received a letter with a wax seal? I’ve had the pleasure when receiving special parcels from some friends and family, including wedding invitations, gifts, and heartfelt greeting cards. And in today’s hustle-and-bustle world, it is always a treat to admire someone’s thoughtfully crafted wax seal, knowing that something truly special is contained within. But how did this tradition begin, and why were wax seals used? Let’s explore that a little further...

History of Wax Seals

As far back as the Old Testament, wax seals were used to ensure the security and secrecy of important documents. Throughout the ages, they were used by governments and royalty, and each had their own characteristic designs to confirm the identity of the sender. An envelope with a wax seal would often display one’s personal coat of arms, an insignia, or a meaningful symbol.

Why Use a Custom Wax Seal?

In the earlier part of the Victorian period, sealing wax was used for both formal and informal correspondence. However, by the latter part of the 19th century, wax seals would have been mainly found on official documents as the advent of the gummed envelope offered new convenience for more casual correspondence. Today, one would more likely use a wax seal for envelopes intended for special purposes such as wedding invitations and birth announcements, or to add a unique flair to one’s letters. This is typically done using wax seal stickers, or by melting wax seal sticks (lit with a wick) and hand pressing the stamp.

Wax Seal Stamp of Quality

At Willow & Birch Apothecary, our all natural bath and beauty products are each hand stamped with our wax seal stamp custom designed featuring our iconic willow leaf motif. Our products are handmade with love, and our wax seal is our “seal of quality” so you can rest assured that your scented treasures have been crafted with the finest ingredients and the utmost care.

 

If you’d like your own willow-leaf wax seal stickers, find them in our Vintage Charms Stationery Set which includes four beautifully illustrated greeting cards with envelopes and four hand-pressed wax seal stickers!