Project description
We are sending out wedding invitations this autumn, and I would like every envelope to close with a wax seal instead of a printed sticker. I am looking for a craftsperson who can cut a brass matrix for me and put a small kit together around it, so that my partner and I can seal roughly a hundred envelopes at the kitchen table over a couple of evenings, and then keep using the same stamp for personal letters and thank-you notes for years afterwards.
The matrix should be about twenty-five millimetres across, in brass, with two initials in the centre and a thin wreath of leaves running around the edge. What matters most to me is the engraving itself: enough relief depth and enough draft on the side walls that the impression comes out crisp and the head releases cleanly instead of sticking in the cooling wax. The handle should be turned from wood, balanced rather than top-heavy, and comfortable to hold for a long sitting. With it I would like sealing wax in three colours, in sticks or in granules, a melting spoon, a rest for the hot head and a box to keep everything in.
One thing I want to be clear about from the very start: the impression is decorative. It does not certify documents and it must not imitate official seals. No coats of arms, no names of institutions, no lettering that could be taken for an official mark of any kind, only my personal monogram and a plant ornament. Please also plan the kit for safe use: sealing wax is melted over a flame or on a hotplate, and only with an adult present, a hot drop burns on contact, and no paper or fabric is kept anywhere near the working area.
What I expect from you:
— sketches of the monogram and the wreath, two or three variants to choose from;
— test impressions in wax before the matrix is finished, photographed close up;
— a brass matrix about 25 mm across, with engraving depth and wall draft chosen for clean release;
— a wooden handle, balanced and comfortable, fitted to the head;
— sealing wax in three colours, sticks or granules, enough for about a hundred envelopes plus practice;
— a melting spoon, a stand for the hot stamp and a storage box;
— short written care notes: heating, cleaning, storage and safety.
Please tell me your price, how long the work takes from an approved sketch to a delivered kit, and what you need from me to start.
The matrix should be about twenty-five millimetres across, in brass, with two initials in the centre and a thin wreath of leaves running around the edge. What matters most to me is the engraving itself: enough relief depth and enough draft on the side walls that the impression comes out crisp and the head releases cleanly instead of sticking in the cooling wax. The handle should be turned from wood, balanced rather than top-heavy, and comfortable to hold for a long sitting. With it I would like sealing wax in three colours, in sticks or in granules, a melting spoon, a rest for the hot head and a box to keep everything in.
One thing I want to be clear about from the very start: the impression is decorative. It does not certify documents and it must not imitate official seals. No coats of arms, no names of institutions, no lettering that could be taken for an official mark of any kind, only my personal monogram and a plant ornament. Please also plan the kit for safe use: sealing wax is melted over a flame or on a hotplate, and only with an adult present, a hot drop burns on contact, and no paper or fabric is kept anywhere near the working area.
What I expect from you:
— sketches of the monogram and the wreath, two or three variants to choose from;
— test impressions in wax before the matrix is finished, photographed close up;
— a brass matrix about 25 mm across, with engraving depth and wall draft chosen for clean release;
— a wooden handle, balanced and comfortable, fitted to the head;
— sealing wax in three colours, sticks or granules, enough for about a hundred envelopes plus practice;
— a melting spoon, a stand for the hot stamp and a storage box;
— short written care notes: heating, cleaning, storage and safety.
Please tell me your price, how long the work takes from an approved sketch to a delivered kit, and what you need from me to start.
Other / Miscellaneous Cash, Bank transfer
