Lot of Three 18th C. Ottoman Brass Stamp Seals

**Originally Listed At $150**

Middle East/Turkey, Ottoman Empire, ca. 18th to 19th century CE. A trio of delightful stamp seals - also known as seal matrices - made of cast brass. Each has a delicate openwork handle, a disc-shaped face, and an incised Arabic inscription. The bureaucracy of the Ottoman Empire carefully regulated seal engraving to prevent fraudulent seals - the primary method of document security at the time. Engravers were in professional guilds and adhered to a strict code of practice to make seal stamps like these. Size of largest (all are similar in size): 0.6" W x 1.05" H (1.5 cm x 2.7 cm); 1.95" H (5 cm) on included custom stand.

You can read much more about seals of this type from the British Museum Asian and African Studies blog: https://blogs.bl.uk/asian-and-african/2014/04/islamic-seal-matrices-in-the-british-library-philatelic-collections.html

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection

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#148395
Condition Report: All are in great condition with dark patinas and light deposits. All are legible.