Medieval Seal Of The City Of Verdun, Circa 1240

A very rare medieval wax seal from the city of Verdun, circa 1240. The obverse features a circular mark in the center of which stands out a small shrine surmounted by a cross and surrounded by the Latin inscription "SECRETVM". The clearly legible reverse depicts a central scene showing the crenellated walls of a city in the foreground, at the center of which rises the cathedral, opening through a central doorway and composed of two transepts, axillary towers, and two choirs, one rounded, the other flat. The central scene is bordered by a double border and the partially mutilated Latin inscription "VERDVNVM CIVITAS". The seal is modeled around a fragment of a parchment band that was once used to attach it to its charter. Diameter: 7.3 cm. Condition: Losses, cracks. Reverse legend clipped. No restorations. Made during the reign of Louis IX (Saint Louis), born in 1214 and died in 1270, the seal we are offering is exceptionally rare. No example of this type has ever been sold. Medieval seals are generally unavailable on the art market, as they have primarily been preserved within public institutions. This is therefore an exceptional opportunity to enhance a collection or cabinet of curiosities with an authentic piece in remarkable condition for its age. This type of pendant seal was usually affixed to charters of great importance. If it is not possible to find the original document that once accompanied this sealed copy, dating from around 1240 or March 1245, it must have originally been linked to a document of the utmost importance, a treaty or lordly decree. To our knowledge, only one other similar seal from the city of Verdun exists, preserved under inventory number 11F897 in the Meuse Departmental Archives. Its state of preservation is also worse than ours, as it has been restored and cracked, with a less distinct mark on the reverse than on our piece.