RARE Antique French Hand Carved Ivory Wax Seal, Dog Matrix, c.1840s Dieppe, France

From my own collection, a spectacular and pristine c.1830-50s sealing wax seal, sceau, with a heavy solid carved ivory handle, large size, and that spectacular French sterling silver cased matrix - a hunting hound, dog. Rare on all counts, this one. The legacy of the carvers of Dieppe, France is long and lauded. Just saying "Dieppe" identifies at once the quality and style, the richness of 200-year old creations at the hands of French sailors, shipmen, often crafted during long sea voyages bringing goods to and from faraway places. The area was a main port for silks, ivory, spices, cocoa, sugar, other rarities bound for Paris. This one is a personal favorite. Will continue to work through my own curated museum quality collections, so visit us often. 

Very good to excellent, not a tiny nip nor chip on the carving. The silver matrix is also in fine condition and the stamp of the seal a rare image engraved of a hunting dog. What could be better!  Measurements are noted on the photos. Heavy and cool in the hand or against a cheek. 

IMPORTANT NOTE regarding antique tortoise shell or ivory: We are great supporters of protection for endangered species in our modern world. We never buy or sell anything 100 years or newer; we donate to anti-poaching organizations; we don't hunt; we conserve in ways that impact global warming (we're totally solar at home), knowing those measures also protect the animals in the wild today. We also recognize the vast cultural history we preserve with our care and reverence for these antique objects, and agree with CITES that objects over 100 years of age have nothing whatsoever to do with species depletion in our current world.