Seal Detail

A  first quarter 17th century armorial desk seal, the handle of mushroom cap form and slender tapering stem to a circular stepped foot and positioning cross on the rim, to a thick silver matrix suitably deeply cut with escutcheon of a wild man with club and coronet above a single fleur-de-lys, with the figure repeated in the crest, above a helm and outer inscription within a pellet and bead border reading:

WALTTER CHRISTOHPO

The seal of Christoph Waltter, bearing the arms recorded for Georg Waltter, of Venice in 1622.  However there are two points worthy of mention; firstly, the depth of engraving is superb and has been carried out in a very competent way, and secondly the somewhat odd spelling Christoph on the matrix which would appear to be an error but given the high quality engraving, it is unlikely to be an error. 

Seal Specification

Height:  70mm

Diameter of matrix:  33mm 

Weight:  120g