Sealing-wax wafer stand c. 1845 - 1860

Curator: Here we have a “Sealing-wax wafer stand,” crafted between 1845 and 1860 by the Compagnie de Saint Louis. The primary material is glass, typical of decorative arts from this period in France. Editor: It’s like a tiny universe trapped inside clear glass. The swirls of color – mostly blues, reds, and yellows – feel almost explosive, contained only by that delicate rim. Curator: The wafer stand form represents the increasing need for bureaucratic efficiency. Hot wax was messy, but wafers provided a quicker, cleaner closure, reflecting a change in attitudes to communication. Editor: It’s fascinating how everyday objects reflect the grand sweep of social and technological change. The glass itself, the techniques used to make it so translucent and then embed those intricate patterns—that required specific knowledge, resources, labor, a whole system of production. How accessible would it have been? Curator: Glassmaking in the 19th century involved a deep understanding of alchemy—turning base materials into something beautiful and useful. The patterns suggest celebration. Official communication shouldn't just be effective, it had to express dignity too. Editor: So much implied control there – a clean professional image, secured documents. Was it meant only for official use or might personal letters also bear such seals, lending a particular gravity to intimate exchanges? What if that beauty was part of the process of persuasion? Curator: Perhaps the wafer stand allowed a writer to infuse emotion and character into formal letters. Those colors act like talismans, conveying subliminal signals that words alone couldn’t. The simple materials represent both change and continuity in France. Editor: In viewing a seemingly modest glasswork, we're invited to consider a range of transformations. Techniques, labour and consumption are revealed here through shifts in communication habits during industrialization. A humble wafer-stand indeed!