{"product_id":"antique-french-henry-iv-wax-seal","title":"Henri IV — French Figural Desk Seal in Gilt \u0026 Silvered Bronze, Late 19th Century","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHenri IV — French Figural Desk Seal in Gilt \u0026amp; Silvered Bronze, Late 19th Century\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA wonderfully sculptural antique desk seal (cachet à cire) modeled as a portrait bust of Henri IV, the first Bourbon king of France. The king is shown in the late-Renaissance manner — bearded, in a pleated ruff and ornate parade cuirass — his armor centered by the radiant breast star of the Ordre du Saint-Esprit, the most senior order of French chivalry and an emblem worn only by the sovereign himself. It’s a detail that quietly does a lot of work: it marks the sitter as a French monarch and roots the piece firmly in the romantic, royalist “souvenir” taste that flourished in 19th-century France.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe bust is finished in two tones to striking effect — warm gilding across the face, hair, and drapery set against a cooler silvered ground — and rises from a turned, knopped gilt-brass handle. The modeling is crisp and characterful throughout, with real heft in the hand. Cast in gilt and silvered bronze, unmarked, as these decorative seals typically were.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBeneath the handle, the working matrix is engraved with an elegant entwined monogram that strikes a clean, deep impression in wax — equally at home sealing correspondence today or simply standing as a small piece of sculpture on a desk or bookshelf.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA larger and notably finer example of the form, and an uncommon subject — a quietly regal object for a collector of seals, French decorative arts, or royal portraiture. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e•\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSubject:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Henri IV of France, bust in armour with the star of the Order of the Holy Spirit\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e•\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Gilt and silvered bronze (parcel‑gilt), unmarked\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e•\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOrigin \/ period:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e French, late 19th century\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e•\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHeight:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e approx. 3½ in. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e•\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMatrix:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Engraved entwined monogram; strikes a crisp wax impression \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e(impression shown)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Swan Hill Home","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48914165235931,"sku":null,"price":675.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0683\/0466\/6843\/files\/DD024818-03D1-47D5-827C-B2C682ED7E41.png?v=1782592196","url":"https:\/\/swanhillhome.com\/products\/antique-french-henry-iv-wax-seal","provider":"Swan Hill Home","version":"1.0","type":"link"}