Napoleon I State Seal, Eagle Counter-Seal - 1805 - Historical Wax Seal Stamp

Napoleon I State Seal, French Eagle Counter-Seal - 1805 - Historical Wax Seal Stamp

Wax seal stamp based on the eagle counter-seal of Napoleon I’s official State Seal, created in 1805 and featuring one of the most recognisable emblems of Napoleonic France.

Napoleon adopted the eagle as his principal heraldic emblem in 1804. The design was deliberately inspired by the eagle of Ancient Rome and also drew upon the earlier Carolingian tradition associated with Charlemagne. The official design showed an antique-style golden eagle clutching a thunderbolt in its talons.

The State Seal was formally established by law on 5 February 1805. It consisted of two complementary faces: one depicting Napoleon seated in majesty and the counter-seal displaying the French eagle and associated state insignia.

At the centre of the counter-seal is the crowned eagle holding a thunderbolt. It is surrounded by the great collar of the Légion d’Honneur and rests over a crossed sceptre and hand of justice. The composition is set against a ceremonial mantle decorated with bees and surmounted by an open helmet.

The original matrices were engraved in 1805 by Nicolas-Guy-Antoine Brenet under the direction of Vivant Denon, Director of the Musée Napoléon. At approximately 12.4 cm in diameter, the original counter-seal was considerably larger than most surviving historic personal seals and was designed for important official documents of state.

The eagle became closely associated with Napoleon throughout his rule, appearing on official heraldry, seals, decorations, ceremonial objects and regimental standards. Its association with Roman antiquity was intended to provide Napoleon’s new visual identity with a sense of continuity with the great rulers and traditions of the ancient world.

Seal Legend:

NAPOLÉON EMPEREUR DES FRANÇAIS

Full translation:

“Napoleon, Emperor of the French.”

The same legend appears around both the principal State Seal and its eagle counter-seal.

Design: Eagle counter-seal of Napoleon I
Monarch: Napoleon I
Dynasty: Bonaparte
Date: 1805
Period: Napoleonic France
Engraver: Nicolas-Guy-Antoine Brenet
Stamp Size: 50 mm
Material: Solid brass
Type: Wax seal stamp / sealing stamp

Each stamp is made of solid brass, supplied with a handle, and presented in a velvet pouch.

Suitable for letters, envelopes, historical collections, French history displays, heraldry collections, genealogy projects, traditional stationery and decorative sealing.

“Soldiers, here are your colours!” — Napoleon I, Champ de Mars, 5 December 1804