Stunning antique .800 silver rotating wax seal wheel with polished clear quartz handle. Circa 1910. The wheel spins to utilize multiple wax seal intaglios carved from precious stones. The intaglios are supported by .800 silver mounts chased with grapes and flowers. Attached to a revolving wheel with tulip shaped spokes. The silver mount further decorated with stylized acanthus leaves and flowers. Two genuine garnet cabochons adorn the pivot. Hallmarked with post-1886 German marks of the crescent moon and crown with a silver finesse of .800/1000 (almost sterling) and a maker's mark of Ludwig Neresheimer & Söhne, Hanau, founded in 1893. In very good condition with general wear. No chips or cracks to the lovely quartz handle and no damage to the stone intaglio matrices. Measures 4 3/4" length.
The six intaglios include:
Carnelian : Repondez Vite (Respond quickly) above a pictorial depicting a dove in flight with letter to deliver.
Dark Green Aventurine: Engraved Irene in lovely script
Milky white rose quartz: Bon Soir (Good night) above pictorial of a hand holding a candle snuffer, ready to extinguish the flame of the lit candle.
Lime Green Aventurine: Bearing an intaglio of an armorial crest with lion rampant holding a clover.
Green Blue Fancy Jasper: Featuring a pictorial of a blazing sun rising over mountains with French motto 'Je Reviendrai' (I'll come back / I will return).
Blue Turquoise Chinese Jade with blank matrix.