{"product_id":"french-1842-manuscript-document-with-armorial-red-wax-seal-in-ornate-gilt-brass-frame","title":"French 1842 Manuscript Document with Armorial Red Wax Seal in Ornate Gilt Brass Frame","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe red wax seal bears a marquis’s coronet above an armorial shield composed of horizontally divided fields, the upper and lower sections finely hatched and each centered by a small armor-like device—possibly a helmet or breastplate.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA beautifully decorative mid-19th-century French manuscript document, dated 1842, retaining an unusually prominent red wax armorial seal and now displayed in an ornate gilt brass easel frame.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe handwritten document appears to be an official or legal extract, headed “Extrait” and “Tableau prescrit par l’article…”, with references to dates in 1842 and several individuals recorded in flowing French script. The seal is impressed directly over the document and bears a crowned coat of arms.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe heraldic impression shows a shield composed of two horizontally divided fields, each densely hatched with a central charge, beneath a coronet. The precise family represented has not yet been conclusively identified, but the seal is clearly personal or familial rather than a generic administrative stamp.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe document has been mounted within a highly decorative Louis XV \/ Rococo Revival style gilt brass frame, richly worked with scrolling acanthus, shells, foliage, and asymmetric rocaille ornament. The reverse retains its original-style metal easel support.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA wonderful small-scale object for a collection of French ephemera, heraldry, wax seals, or Grand Tour-inspired interiors.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEra\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDocument: 1842, Louis-Philippe period, France\u003cbr\u003eFrame: Likely late 19th to early 20th century, in the Louis XV \/ Rococo Revival taste\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHistory\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWax seals remained an important means of authentication and identification in 19th-century European correspondence and legal documentation. Personal seals belonging to noble or established families frequently incorporated hereditary coats of arms surmounted by coronets indicating rank.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eUnlike a detached seal impression, this example retains its original manuscript context, making the combination particularly appealing. The document itself preserves both the administrative language and elegant penmanship characteristic of French legal records of the period.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe ornate brass frame appears to be later than the 1842 manuscript and was most likely selected specifically to transform the historic document and seal into a decorative object for display.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eProvenance\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSourced in France.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMaterials\u003cbr\u003eHandwritten ink on laid or wove paper\u003cbr\u003eRed sealing wax\u003cbr\u003eGilt brass \/ gilt metal frame\u003cbr\u003eMetal easel support\u003cbr\u003eGlass\u003cbr\u003eDimensions\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTo be provided\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCondition\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAntique condition consistent with age and use.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWax seal remains unusually complete and legible, with several stable age-related cracks and fissures visible around the perimeter and across the impression.\u003cbr\u003eExpected surface wear and minor losses to the sealing wax.\u003cbr\u003eManuscript shows age-related toning, handling wear, and minor surface irregularities.\u003cbr\u003eFrame retains attractive aged gilt patina with rubbing, oxidation, and areas of verdigris consistent with age.\u003cbr\u003eEasel support remains present on the reverse.\u003cbr\u003ePlease review all photographs closely as they form an important part of the condition description.\u003cbr\u003eDisclaimers\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe heraldic family represented by the wax seal has not been definitively identified, and no specific noble attribution is being made at this time. The manuscript has been partially interpreted from the visible text but has not undergone a full archival transcription.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe frame is believed to post-date the 1842 document.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"For the Louvre of Antiques LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49259667128575,"sku":null,"price":250.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0725\/8780\/4927\/files\/75779933-F6AE-4F2A-88E2-F796995A0FFA.png?v=1789916667","url":"https:\/\/forthelouvreofantiques.com\/fr\/products\/french-1842-manuscript-document-with-armorial-red-wax-seal-in-ornate-gilt-brass-frame","provider":"For the Louvre of Antiques LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}