LOVE for Analogue / personal touch with wax seal

The first usage of seals can be traced back to some of the earliest known civilizations of man. Some seals have been found from as early as the Indus Valley and Mesopotamia civilizations. The very first seals were made from clay and impressed using rings or cylinders.
The usage of “wax” in seals did not take place until the Middle Ages by only eminent individuals such as bishops, monarchs and royal spokespeople to authenticate documents, by the 13^th century wax seals became more widespread and were being used by monasteries, guilds, aristocrats and eventually common folk.
Each seal would be very unique to its owner and would often be used in place of a signature due to widespread illiteracy during the 13^th century. Wax seals were occasionally stamped directly onto a document, but later became more common for them to be stamped separately and then affixed to the bottom of the document with a ribbon, cord or strip of parchment.
The traditional type of wax used to seal documents during the middle ages were composed of a resin and wax mixture which became very hard upon sealing. This type of “hard” wax was used during the middle ages for authenticity and confidentiality, as when one tried to peel open the seal, it would crack into pieces to ensure it had not been tampered with.
Sealing letters and documents are a historical by-gone which may seem outdated, however, the distinguished and romantic history of that era is the very fact as to why they are now so appealing in the modern century. Anyone who has had the pleasure of receiving a letter or card with a unique seal can attest to the excitement that comes with opening it… 

QUICK TIPS AND TECHNIQUES /. 

+ Parchment paper is your best friend. It is not necessary but will make the job much easier. Have one small sheet of parchment paper to cover your “working area” where you will be doing the wax seal. The parchment paper will serve as a space where you can safely drop your wax stick as soon as you are done letting the wax drip onto your desired area. 

+ The parchment paper not only will protect your working area but can be used to adhere wax to string so it can easily be removed to either make a wax seal charm on a letter, or even wax seal stickers! 

+ A wicked wax seal may seem more convenient however; the wax will drip very slowly. By the time you are done, parts of the wax you have put onto your desired surface may already have hardened. In order to avoid this, instead of letting the lit part of the wick do the job on its own, have a long lighter in hand with the flame under the wax seal to help expedite the wax melting process. 

+ Some types of wax can be stickier than others. Should you find that you are having issues with the wax adhering to your seal like chewing gum, it is advisable to have a damp paper towel on hand where you can lightly moisten the surface of your wax seal before dipping it into your puddle of freshly melted wax. 

+ Modern day wax composed of a bees wax mixture can be safely sent via snail-mail without issues as long as your wax seal is not very thick. However, just to be on the safe side it is recommended that you write or stamp “non-machinable” on the envelope and ask your post officer to “hand cancel” the postage. It will cost you a few cents more to send it this way but will protect your mail art from getting damaged. 

SOURCES /. 

Wax Seals  

Modern Flexible Sealing Wax  

Traditional Hard Sealing Wax 

Wax Seal Embellishments