Lead Seal

[romeo-1]

I am pretty sure that this is a lead seal but is the number on the back, 1712, a date? Anyone know what this would have sealed? It is military...I think, based on where I found it and the crown.

 

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[Charlie P. (NY)]

I do not think 1712 would be a date - here's why:

Lead would have been common, but fine, strong wire would not. Most lead seals that size are used with braided steel wire and hold by crushing the wire tightly into the lead. That (steel or braided wire) did not exist in 1712, or even much later. String would have been too hard to thread through, and why bother if it could just be tugged off or sealed with wax. Hard, single strand wire would have been easy to slide on and off - so again why bother.

Don't know what it was for, but it is not from 1712 I'm pretty sure.

 

[smudger]

i took this off the internet,hope it helps.




Lead seals such as cloth seals and bale seals were widely used in Europe between the 13th and 19th centuries as a means of identification and as a component of regulation and quality control. Cloth seals appear to be the most thoroughly documented type of seal. Cloth seals were typically two disc seals joined by a connecting strip. These were intended to be folded around each side of a textile and stamped closed, in a manner similar to that in which coins were stamped.
Bale seals such were single disc seals, rather than two disc seals, and were also used to identify textiles, as well as parcels and bales of trade goods. The obverse would typically display a city's arms, and the reverse would record data such as the length or width of fabric or the weight of a parcel.

 

[smudger]

your seal shows a crown and i think this is to indicate that tax had been paid on what ever goods were sealed.
Ive enclosed a photo.
I'd say your seal is probably from the 1800's but someone will prove me wrong.

 

[romeo-1]

Thanks for the info! I didn't even consider that the seal was for taxes paid.

 

[dugupfinds]

PO - Post Office? - Sealed mail?

 

[romeo-1]

Thanks Dug...after a real close look with the loupe I have determined that it is a P O. The tail of the P is missing but still visible...