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A significant historical finding has been made in the workshop of the wellbeing services county of Vantaa and Kerava, when a historically significant object that belongs to the United States Department of State, was identified among donated handicrafts. The object is a hand operated seal press probably used by diplomats during the years 1815–1898 and was used to emboss a seal or a relief pattern to official documents and passports.
Helena, coordinator for VAKEs outsourced services, visited work activity leader Paula at Coaching house Luxis workshop. After talking for a while, they spotted a peculiar dusty object hidden among the houseplants in the workshop. Helena tracked the history of the object with the Google Lens application on the web page of National Museum of American Diplomacy. The seal press is decorated with the United States of Americas coat of arms and the motto E Pluribus Unum in Latin which is "out of many, one" in English.
Helena and Paula contacted the American Embassy in Helsinki to arrange a return of the seal press. The embassy has expressed great interest for the objects history and collaborates with different departments to arrange the return.
The U.S. Embassy in Helsinki is grateful to Valmennustalo Luxi for the safekeeping of the Great Seal Hand Press and for the seal’s return to U.S. State Department officials.
This finding shows, how unexpected treasures can be found in everyday surroundings and how important historic preservation is. We still welcome donations from local families for our workshop, for example handicraft supplies. Probably the estate, who we received this object from, assumed it to be a press related to handicrafts, says Paula.
Picture: Great Seal Hand Press. c. 1900. National Museum of American Diplomacy, https://diplomacy.state.gov/items/great-seal-hand-press
Diplomats use the press to mark official approval for functions such as notarial services, issuing visas and passports, and performing certain shipping and seamen services. With the hand press the documents are given an embossed seal, which enhances their authenticity and officiality. Embossing is one of the most demanding and efficient finishing techniques for printed products.
If you want to donate for instance yarn, fabrics or other things related to handicrafts to VAKEs workshop, please contact Paula by email: paula.vainionpaa@vakehyva.fi