Seals have been used to authenticate documents since the early Middle Ages. Initially, they were primarily used in royal and ecclesiastical offices, but later, the nobility and townspeople began using them as well.
A seal is an impression of a metal engraved seal matrix in wax. Seals were attached to documents either on a strip of parchment or on a bundle of single-colored or multi-colored threads. Later, seals were pressed directly onto the document. On the seal itself, we distinguish between the legend and the seal emblem. The legend is found as an inscription around the perimeter of the seal, while the seal emblem is usually placed in the center, within a defined seal field.
To make a seal, you will need the document, a heat source, a seal matrix, and sealing wax. An alcohol burner is the best tool for heating the wax, as its flame does not soot the wax. However, a simple candle works too. Keep rotating the wax while heating to prevent it from dripping. Don't let the wax burn unnecessarily! If you do drip some wax, don't worry—it is easy to remove once it has dried (this might happen often at first, so I recommend using a smooth, non-flammable mat).
While heating, you need to find the moment when the wax is sufficiently pliable (it takes a bit of practice), then press it onto the paper and slowly pull upward so the melted wax separates from the rest of the stick. Repeat this until you have a wax blob at least as wide as your seal matrix. Usually, two or three repetitions are enough. There is no need to rush, as the wax stays soft for a long time.
For the seal to look good, the seal matrix must be clean, dry, and cold. You can coat the matrix with a drop of cooking oil to prevent it from sticking to the wax. After pressing the matrix into the wax, wait a few seconds so the resulting impression is fine and detailed. If you accidentally get wax blobs on the document while working, wait until the wax dries before removing them.
And a final tip: wax stains on fabrics are easily removed by ironing through absorbent paper…