New Wax Seals from Backtozero Co
We're starting the new year off with one of my favourite new products: new wax seals! You can see our new line up of wax seals on the website here, or of course in person at the shop. These are gorgeous new wax seals from a company based out of Hong Kong, Backtozero Co. They are beautiful and traditional along with fun and modern designs, and my personal wax seal collection has now become a small population. There's a flamingo, a camera, a paper crane, along with botanical and floral designs, and illustrations with traditional Japanese influences. This started because I stumbled across some of these gorgeous designs while casually browsing through the stationery world online, and added a few to my shopping cart. It started to get a bit ridiculous, and what do you know, I've got a few more than expected headed to our shop.
I love wax seals. I love how they can be perfect and look perfect, or they can be a bit wabi-sabi and still look perfect. They just add a touch of elegance and thought and style to your letters and your journals and notes. I don't use them on all of my letters, but nothing says a proper thank you note like good stationery and a wax seal. What I love about these new ones from Backtozero is that there are a few fun and modern designs, but also some traditional sort of designs with a hint of modern to them. Here are a few of my favourites (although that changes depending on when you ask me):
A golden pineapple! Gold is my favourite sealing wax colour, and this is a perfect match.
This is the waves design. There is something about water that I just love, I think it must be something in human nature that makes us feel drawn to large bodies of water - and I also personally love the design of the waves.
And another personal favourite is the Japanese Bell. It's simple and elegant and timeless. Unlike the J. Herbin wax seals, where you buy the handle and the brass seal separately, these Back to Zero Co seals are sold together as one unit, the handle and the seal. Unfortunately we are unable to sell them separately even if you have a wax seal handle already.
These days, wax seals seem much more common on wedding invitations or luxury gifts, but I can't help thinking that along with the pendulum swinging back from technology-every-where-all-the-time to a slower process with analogue tools, the thought and care and ritual of a wax seal is also becoming more appreciated. I recently got a book called The Revenge of Analog and I can't wait to get started. At our monthly Letter Writing Club, we have sealing wax and wax seals out for people to use, and it's also just fun, really. Sometimes it's people who have never used a wax seal before, and it's exciting and fun to watch as the wax melts and they press on the seal and it's a bit of a hold your breath moment as they pull it off to reveal their sealed envelope. I'm not very old (really), but as I've gotten older, or maybe because I now have Caleb who is involved in literally almost everything I do with enthusiasm and energy and boy-ness, I feel like I'm appreciating more and more the idea of slowing down and having rituals and processes and routines. It sometimes takes some of the spontaneity out, although you can always add a bit of spark back in if you need it, but it allows you to slow down and appreciate things a little more deeply.
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Comments
Mike said:
This is great news. Iāve been avoiding the use of a wax seal on an external envelope.
I grew up with hand written letters and was the first in my family to use a computer to print my letters. My first āprinterā was an electric typewriter! I used it and exchanged letters with my aunt because we had difficulties deciphering one anotherās handwriting. Until fairly recently, she still used a typewriter, but it broke down. Prior to that weād try to phone each other, but the difference in time zones and our schedules made it almost impossible.
A couple of months ago, I surprised her by going analogue again and hand-wrote a letter (the first in many years), while enclosing another written with a dip pen (and using Google Translate as an added surprise). She had turned 90. She was absolutely delighted to receive them and surprised at the copperplate-inspired style that I used..
In my next letter to her, Iām switching papers yet again, but using a different fountain pen and ink on each (using up the cartridge in my new pen ā to create a cleaning cartridge ā feels like itās taking forever). Placing these sheets in a sturdy G. Lalo Toile ImpĆ©riale envelope (A4) would seem to be the next step and to use a wax seal as a finishing touch. I may have to print the address with a dip pen (Brause EF No. 66) and Sumi ink.
Since she grew up with having to dip a pen into an ink well, she has a special fondness for the personal touch of the old ways. The charm and extra care that is needed hasnāt been lost on me either.
ąøąø±ą¹ąø”ą¹ąø„ąøą¹ said:
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wonderpens said:
The designs are great! You should break yours out more ā sometimes once itās already out, itās too tempting to not use, and an envelope just looks so pretty with a wax seal :)
wonderpens said:
Wabi-sabi is my favourite! Itās what gives your letters character :)
wonderpens said:
Wow, imagine a wax seal from 30 years ago ā how beautiful!
Iām sorry to hear the recipients of your handwritten correspondence arenāt appreciative, what a shame. Iām of a generation that didnāt grow up with handwritten letters, so maybe I appreciate them all the more as a result. Iām glad to hear though that you are still writing, and finding delight in it. That is maybe the best therapy there is :)
Rob said:
While not common I see these come through the post office from time to time. Iām a customs officer and pen maker and smile when I see these in use as we examine mail. They do tend to hold up quite nicely
wonderpens said:
Thatās great to hear! I sometimes wonder about how they fare internationally ā Iām thinking most of my pen pals are too gracious to mention any wax seal fiascos, and so I can only hope everything has arrived in tact!
wonderpens said:
Hah! Yes, indeed. Iām a bit surprised by how well the pineapples have done, but I guess itās a sign of what a quirky and delightful community we have :)
Helen Skibinski said:
I will put it in my calendar and bring my seal & wax.
wonderpens said:
Iām not sure if they are officially āapprovedā? However, they do make it safely through the lettermail system, with its rollers for flat mail. The traditional wax is the type that cracks (used on certificates, or for ceremonial purposes), but the supple wax that we sell is designed to be safe to go through the postal system.
To be the safest, you can, as you do, tuck the sealed envelope inside another, however, I have sent and received mail with in tact wax seals on them. If your wax seal is too large (too much wax), it might squish a bit or even come right off, but a reasonable sized wax seal should have no problem. Hope that helps! :)
mark bee said:
Loving the pineapple! Pineapples for everyone!
Cristina said:
Iāve been using wax seals for thirty some years now. I used to write unending letters to my friends when they went to live abroad. I even made birthday/Christmas cards that belonged in a museum. Most times I wrote with one fountain pen or other. I even took my notes during my university years with a fountain pen & it didnāt slowed me a tiny bit.
Now I donāt do that so often. Not because e-mails and this fast world, but because, unfortunately, as you age, you find out those receivers donāt deserve it anymore.
I now use it to write my journal and for my own delight. And Iāve gathered a good collection of both seals and fountain pens.
Tess said:
Are wax seals on the outer envelope Canada Post approved? Iāve been tucking the sealed envelope inside another before mailing.
wonderpens said:
Oh no! Sad pineapples! Although Iām sure theyāre better than you think :)
Please come to our next Letter Writing Club, we would love to have you there, wax seals or no, but of course there are going to be more than a few folks who would love to help (no kidding!). Sometimes itās hands-on instruction, sometimes itās our special brand of encouraging charm :D
Ruth E. Martin said:
My blobs of wax definitely fall into the wabi-sabi category, ha! Each seal is a fresh challenge with perfection always just out of reach.
Laura said:
Love the designs! I have one mini seal (from one of those mini box kits you can get at big box book stores) which doesnāt get used much but I think if I had a beautiful seal like these and lovely wax I would make it happen more often!
Helen Skibinski said:
Bought the pineapple last weekend and have had several epic fails in my attempts, although to be honest, I am a bit of a crafting incompetent. I must come to letter writing class next month and get some hands on instruction. Youtube is just not helping.