Sealing wax
From Free net encyclopedia
Sealing wax is used to seal envelopes. It is also used to take the impression of seals on important documents. Now mainly used for decorative purposes, it was formerly used to ensure that the contents of the envelope were secure.
It was originally made of a mixture of wax, turpentine and colouring matter: now shellac and other resinous materials are substituted for the wax. Originally the sealing wax was red, but now a range of colours are available.
Sealing wax is usually available in the form of sticks, sometimes with a wick, or as granules. The stick is melted at one end, or the granules heated in a spoon, normally using a flame, and then placed where required, usually on the flap of an envelope. While the wax is still soft, a seal with a design (often of metal) is impressed in it, sealing the envelope.
Because sealing wax is a fairly unfamiliar artifact in modern society, English speakers who have heard the term but not encountered it in literature frequently misinterpret it as "ceiling wax", perhaps on the analogy of "floor wax" (used to polish floors).
Sealing wax does not travel well through the mail, so putting the seal on an inner envelope, surrounded by an outer envelope, works best. A new method is "faux sealing wax", which involves a stick of wax/glue that is inserted into a hot glue gun. This "wax" is more flexible and will survive mailing on the outside of an envelope. It looks just like regular sealing wax, and since it does not involve a flame and dispenses quickly, is frequently used for large mailings, such as wedding invitations.