King George V Hanover Princess Marie Saxe Altenburg Royal Seal Matrix Desk Stamp

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King George V Hanover Princess Marie Saxe Altenburg Royal Seal Matrix Desk Stamp:
$8287.50

Hanover King George V Princess Marie Saxe Altenburg Royal Seal Matrix Desk Stamp

For your consideration is an exceptionally rare, museum-grade royal wax seal document stamp, dating to circa 1843 and commissioned by royal warrant for use by George V of Hanover and Marie of Saxe-Altenburg during their years as Prince and Princess. This distinguished seal was created at the precise moment of their dynastic union and predates Georges accession to the Hanoverian throne, situating it within the formative phase of their joint royal identity and authority.

The engraved matrix bears the full conjugal royal coat of arms of Prince George of Hanover and Princess Marie of Saxe-Altenburg, expertly rendered with their respective armorial shields displayed side by side in strict accordance with 19th-century heraldic convention. Such marital armorial seals were not decorative objects but formal instruments of governance, employed for sealing official correspondence, legal acts, and household documents issued jointly in the names of the princely couple. The depth, clarity, and balance of the engraving attest to professional court workmanship, executed for repeated administrative use rather than ceremonial display.

Prince George of Hanover (18191878), scion of the ancient House of Welf (Guelph), succeeded his father Ernest Augustus I to the throne on 18 November 1851, becoming the last reigning King of Hanover. Princess Marie of Saxe-Altenburg (18181907), eldest daughter of Joseph, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Hildburghausen, brought with her extensive dynastic connections across the German states and the wider European royal network. Their marriage in 1843 formally united two prominent ruling houses and laid the foundation for the Hanoverian court of the mid-19th century. Queen Maries later prominence within European royalty is further underscored by her role as godmother in 1872 to Princess Marie Louise of Schleswig-Holstein, granddaughter of Queen Victoria.

The seal is constructed in iron with its original turned wooden handle, a robust and authoritative combination typical of royal and princely seals intended for daily chancery use. It measures approximately 8.8 centimeters (3.4 inches) in height with the handle, and weighs approximately 103 grams. The substantial weight, materials, and proportions reflect its function as a working instrument of state, designed to produce clear and durable impressions in wax for official documents.

Preserved in outstanding original condition, this seal represents an exceptionally rare survival of a pre-accession conjugal royal instrument. Seals bearing the marital arms of future sovereigns are scarcely encountered outside major institutional or dynastic collections, and examples retaining their original handle and matrix are rarer still. As both a functional object of governance and a heraldic document of dynastic alliance, this seal stands as a tangible witness to lineage, authority, and continuity within 19th-century European monarchyan important and evocative artifact of the Hanoverian royal court, suitable for the most discerning private or institutional collection.

Features Details

Product Dimensions: 8.0 x 8.0 x 8.0 inches
Item Weight: 3.0 pounds
Shipping Weight: 3.0 pounds

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