handshake fob seal - shake my boy - antique wax seal fob
A small fob seal with two clasped hands, a handshake, and the sentiment SHAKE MY BOY. The amethyst colored paste intaglio is encased in a decorated rolled gold metal mount.
From the mid 1800's - 1900's SHAKE MY BOY, similar to let's shake on it, refers to an agreement. I found the sentiment used in a book published in 1908 - "Dave Porter in the Far North" or "The Pluck of an American Schoolboy" by Edward Stratemeyer. It was in Chapter 9 in reference to some sort of shady deal.
Please look closely at the pictures for signs of wear - you'll see some wear to the gold where the base metal is exposed and also a tiny nibble in the purple intaglio above the E in SHAKE.
- approximate height measurement - 1"
- matrix measurement - 1/2" x just over 1/2" (11mm x 14mm)
A fob seal is a small wax seal matrix encased in a metal mount shank, or hard stone, designed for suspension from a short chain or ribbon which attaches to a pocket watch and is worn hanging in front of a vest or waist or chatelaine.
The fob shanks were made from a variety of metals - gold, silver, mixed, rolled gold and gilded which is a thin layer of gold over a base metal, similar to what we now call gold filled or plated but the gilding process was different - to give the illusion of gold but much less expensive.
An intaglio, in the case of wax seals, is created by engraving below the surface of a smooth stone, the design in reverse, so that when impressed into melted wax the design is a relief of that carved image.
The intaglio seals in the fobs were hard stone, like carnelian, quartz, amethyst, etc., metal or often glass or paste, a composite of materials tinted and made to look like gemstones but affordable to many with a much lesser price.
The fob seals date back to the Georgian era (1714 - 1830) or the Victorian era (1837 - 1901).
All sales final on antique wax seals - no returns
Go make some history!