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Image 1 of 13
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Image 1 of 13
View all items from The Collection of a Renaissance Man: Rare Antiquarian Books & Classical Sculpture sale
Medici Correspondence: One leaf features a preserved letter cover addressed in period iron-gall ink to: ‘A Sua Eccellenza Il Sig.r Com.te Nicolo de’ Medici – Firenze’ (To His Excellency the Lord Count Nicolo de’ Medici, Florence). This helps localize the collection to the Tuscan court circa 1600.
Heraldic Seals: Cut-out papered seals featuring various armorial bearings. Notable examples include the Medici arms (six palle surmounted by a crown), ecclesiastical arms (cardinal/bishop galero hats), and the seal of ‘Sanctus Martinus’ (St. Martin dividing his cloak).
Annotations: The mounting pages bear handwritten ink annotations dating the specimens, including ‘1589-1600,’ ‘1590-1600,’ ‘1620,’ and ‘medici,’ indicating an organized effort by a prior archivist or collector to catalog the items chronologically.
Provenance Factor (The Medici Connection): The specific address to Count Nicolo de’ Medici (likely Niccolò de’ Medici, a notable figure in the Tuscan court who died c. 1609) significantly elevates this album above a generic collection of ‘Italian seals.’ In the current market, provenance linked to the Medici dynasty commands a premium due to the family’s immense historical weight in the Renaissance and Baroque periods. While anonymous 17th-century religious seals are relatively common, those explicitly linked to the ruling family of Florence are sought after by specialized collectors.
Tuscan Heraldic Seal Album (Featuring Medici Correspondence)
Item Details
Seals & Correspondence: Circa 1580–1620 (Annotations date 1549–1620).
Binding: Late 19th or Early 20th Century.
Description: A bound archival collection containing a series of antique Italian papered wax seals (wafer seals) and manuscript fragments mounted on card stock. The collection is housed in a green leather binding with raised spine bands and marbleized endpapers.
Key Contents:
Medici Correspondence: One leaf features a preserved letter cover addressed in period iron-gall ink to: ‘A Sua Eccellenza Il Sig.r Com.te Nicolo de’ Medici – Firenze’ (To His Excellency the Lord Count Nicolo de’ Medici, Florence). This helps localize the collection to the Tuscan court circa 1600.
Heraldic Seals: Cut-out papered seals featuring various armorial bearings. Notable examples include the Medici arms (six palle surmounted by a crown), ecclesiastical arms (cardinal/bishop galero hats), and the seal of ‘Sanctus Martinus’ (St. Martin dividing his cloak).
Annotations: The mounting pages bear handwritten ink annotations dating the specimens, including ‘1589-1600,’ ‘1590-1600,’ ‘1620,’ and ‘medici,’ indicating an organized effort by a prior archivist or collector to catalog the items chronologically.
Provenance Factor (The Medici Connection): The specific address to Count Nicolo de’ Medici (likely Niccolò de’ Medici, a notable figure in the Tuscan court who died c. 1609) significantly elevates this album above a generic collection of ‘Italian seals.’ In the current market, provenance linked to the Medici dynasty commands a premium due to the family’s immense historical weight in the Renaissance and Baroque periods. While anonymous 17th-century religious seals are relatively common, those explicitly linked to the ruling family of Florence are sought after by specialized collectors.
| Type | Album of Dry Seals |
| Period | Antique, Late 16th Century, 17th Century |
| Origin | Continental Europe, Italy |
| Binding | Leather |
Dimensions
1.5" W x 13.0" H x 11.0" D
- Please note: If the winning bidder selects the warehouse transfer option, the item will be available for pickup at the selected warehouse three business days after payment has been finalized.
Item #
ITMGS43213
