19thC French Wood Brass De-faced Revolutionary Desk Seal

Seal Detail

An early 19th century French wood and brass desk seal, the handle of ebonised wood with rounded top, with tapering stem to a brass collar and integral oval matrix, engraved with a central motif of the fasces on a ground together with small inscription AGENT NATIONAL with further inscription within a lined border reading:

COMMUNE DE DIEPPE

A seal for the French town of Dieppe on the Northern coast of France.  What is of particular interest with this seal is the fact that it has a de-faced section of inscription at the top. Presumably, at the Revolution, any reference to the previous royal governance of France was removed in an act of solidarity for the new Republic.  This seal reflects a fascinating era of French social history when the Reign of Terror was enough to call for the erasure of any reference to the monarchy - almost sufficient fear of one’s own life for non-compliance. 

The seal is not in the greatest of condition as would befit an everyday office tool but speaks volumes of the time it comes from.

Seal Specification

Height:  mm

Diameter of matrix:  mm 

Weight:  g