Centuries before the words ‘password protected’ were paired, wax seals provided security. While their usage dates back to the ancients, they came into their own in the Middle Ages. Family crests were engraved onto seals, which were then pressed into wax so the letter’s authorship was immediately clear; meanwhile any envelope shut with a seal could not be opened without leaving evidence, so missives reached recipients completely confidentially. Once gummed envelopes took off in the late 19th century however, their usage tapered off, and these pristine portals eventually fell from the mainstream.
But the pendulum, fortunately it always swings — even if it takes a century or two — and paper nerds owe a big thank you to Kathryn of Kathryn Hastings & Co. for breathing new and quite exquisite life into wax seals, sealing waxes and their requisite bevy of accessories. These quiet art mediums invite us to put down our phones and remember that even the act of sealing an envelope can be so much more than can be imagined, if we will only let it.
Kathryn’s is an analog world encompassing both personal ritual and human history, offering seemingly endless (and very tactile) rabbit holes to explore using tools crafted to endure 300 years. To properly immerse oneself in this fantastic, age-old craft designed to travel the world, Kathryn has created courses (one of them free), she regularly hosts retreats and gatherings — and she even has a book coming out. Thus I am most grateful Kathryn took the time to take this nerd’s questions!
SS: How did you first encounter wax seals?
KH: I first encountered wax seals when I was 19, while traveling in Italy, where I purchased my very first seal. A few years later, I came across my first antique wax seal, and that discovery changed everything.
Holding an object that had once been used to seal letters centuries earlier made me realize that these
were living artifacts that carried history. From that moment on, I was hooked.
SS: What is it about the medium that initially appealed to you?
KH: Before I ever imagined making wax seals myself, I was captivated by what they did to the experience of
writing a letter. The simple act of sealing an envelope transforms correspondence into something
elevated. When you know you’re going to finish a letter with a wax seal, you write differently. The letter
feels more meaningful and more worthy of the effort.
I was also deeply drawn to the history of the medium. For centuries, seals were hand engraved, making
each one a remarkable work of art in its own right. I loved that they combined craftsmanship and
symbolism in a single object. They were practical, but they were also deeply personal, carrying memory
and meaning across generations.
SS: Your offerings infuse fine stationery with a splash of fine art. Can you speak to how these worlds
blend, and the appeal of being able to finesse and then send out your own creations as skills develop?
KH: I’ve never thought of my work as adding fine art to stationery. Rather, I’m interested in bringing art back
into everyday life. For most of history, beauty was woven into daily rituals, from the way we wrote letters
to the way we sealed an envelope.
A wax seal is one of the few art forms that is meant to travel. It begins as a hand engraved work of art,
but then its impression travels the world. To me, all of this is part of the art.
One of the most rewarding parts of teaching is watching people discover that they can create something
beautiful themselves. It isn’t so much about developing skills as it is about how we feel when we tap into
our creativity.
SS: Clearly you have made the medium your own. Was there an early creation that really sparked your
path?
KH: I don’t think there was a single seal that changed everything. Rather, each new design taught me a little
more about what the medium could become. The wax seal is a blank canvas, and there is a question of
what it can be.
Early on, I realized I wasn’t interested in reproducing historical seals exactly as they had been. I wanted
to expand the language of the medium while remaining in conversation with its history. That led me to
create increasingly narrative designs, seals that told stories or sparked wonder, and invited people into a
richer experience of letter writing.
Over time, I began thinking of them as an artistic medium. In a way, they are free of the function of
sealing an envelope.
SS: Talk to me about the effect that a wax seal has on a letter sitting in a mailbox.
KH: To me, wax seals are portals. They are the first tactile experience of receiving a letter, and before a single word is read, they communicate something about the mood and intent of the sender. Through their
symbolism, they can also carry quiet messages of their own.
A wax seal is literally the portal into the letter, but I think it can also be a portal into something more
emotional or philosophical. It asks us to slow down and enter a different frame of mind before unfolding
the page.
Not every letter I send has a wax seal. I use them intentionally, when I want to communicate a richer
experience beyond the written word. Sometimes the seal says something the letter itself cannot.
SS: Your offerings are clearly luxuries at the high end of the stationery spectrum. Can you describe your
customer base? What do you think it can tell us about the overall interest in stationery and the analog
lifestyle?
KH: My collectors certainly appreciate beautiful stationery, but I don’t think that’s what ultimately draws
them to my work. They are people who value beauty, craftsmanship, symbolism, and intentional living.
Many collect art, books, antiques, and other beautiful objects. They also tend to love traveling and
experiencing other cultures and history firsthand. They understand that the objects we surround
ourselves with shape the way we experience everyday life.
I do think there’s a growing desire for more tangible forms of communication, but I don’t see it as
nostalgia for an analog past. I think people are looking for experiences that feel more human. My
collectors want objects that help them live more fully and participate in a tradition that has been passed
from one generation to the next.
Because everything I make is designed to last at least 300 years, there’s a real feeling of working
alongside the people who came before us while creating something that will outlive us. To me, that’s one
of the most beautiful parts of making and sending letters. They remind us that we’re part of a much
longer story.
SS: Tell me about your event this past May. Is this the first or part of an ongoing series?
KH: I lead salons and workshops around the world, all centered around letter writing, wax seals, and living a
beautiful life.
In May, I took a group of eleven women to the Loire Valley in France, where we spent the week making
seals and exploring some of the region’s most extraordinary historic sites. We stayed in Louis XIII’s
favorite hunting château, where I led daily workshops on letter writing and wax seals. We also visited
several other châteaux throughout the Loire Valley and, one evening, floated over the countryside in a
hot air balloon.
I typically lead one international retreat each year, along with a handful of salons in the United States.
The largest is my annual New York salon each spring. Most of my retreats and salons are by invitation,
allowing me to keep them small and deeply personal, though the New York salon is open to anyone who
wishes to attend.
SS: Do you have a favorite creation? Why does it stand out?
KH: My favorite creation is the Hastings Étui. Traditionally, an étui was a small ornamental case used to carry everyday tools. By the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, some included wax seals so that a person could carry their correspondence with them. I loved the idea of reviving that tradition, but I wanted to reimagine it for today.
The Hastings Étui is designed to evolve over a lifetime. Rather than owning a single seal, collectors build
a personal collection by adding new engraved designs with each new moon. Over time, it becomes a
reflection of their interests, values, and aesthetic.
I’m especially proud of it because it is both personal and deeply grounding. It invites people into an
ongoing creative practice of curation. Like everything I make, it is designed to last at least 300 years, so
each new seal becomes part of something that can be passed from one generation to the next.
SS: Is there anything else you would like to share with Paper Nerds?
KH: I would simply like to thank The Paper Nerd for the work you’re doing. It’s a joy to see a publication that
celebrates every facet of this world, from paper and ink to wax seals and all the traditions that surround
them.
These art forms have existed for thousands of years. They are timeless, yet wonderfully impermanent,
moving from one person’s hands to another before becoming part of someone else’s story. In a moment
when so much of our lives is becoming digital, I think it’s more important than ever to preserve and
celebrate these traditions; they remind us how meaningful it is to create something by hand.
Thank you for bringing these different disciplines together and for helping more people discover the
enduring beauty of the handwritten life.
Thank YOU Kathryn, for inviting my readers and me to immerse ourselves in your gorgeous world — which you can explore for yourself here. I am completely captivated by both your offerings and your perceptions surrounding them. Scrolling through your various seals, I am hard-pressed to pick a favorite. Although I am probably amongst the newest of your 114K Instagram followers, please know that I am hanging on your every post!
