Stockholm, 31 October 2001

This seal is the only existing crown regalia object owned privately in Sweden.

This seal is the oldest personal item in Sweden.

This seal dates back to the 12th century.

This seal belonged to Karl Döve, Earl of the Folkunga line. Karl Döve was the brother of Birger Brosa and the uncle of Birger Jarl, the founder of Stockholm.

This seal is the oldest known personal seal in Sweden which has been preserved.

This seal came to light in the early 1990s and has been stored in the vaults of the Museum of National Antiquities since 1993.

When the Museum of National Antiquities was informed of the existence of a hitherto unknown seal in the autumn of 1992, this was regarded as something of a sensation. No-one had ever heard of the stamp or the seal before. It turned out to be a stamp made of bronze for Earl Karl Bengtsson, known as Karl Döve, who fell in battle in Estonia in 1220. Karl Döve was the brother of Birger Brosa, who died in 1202, whose seal is the oldest known seal of a Swedish prince to date. It is possible to see a link between the two seals – the two stamps are thought to have been engraved at around the same time and by the same goldsmith.

It was important to make sure that the seals did not end up in the wrong hands, because this could lead to their misuse. Therefore, personal seals were normally destroyed when their owners passed away. They could be melted down and reused, or placed in the grave with the deceased, often broken into pieces. Consequently, this means that seals like this are extremely rare. A few private seals have been found in graves during archaeological digs. Otherwise, we only know of personal seals thanks to impressions made, which have been preserved to a greater or a lesser extent. What makes Karl Döve's seal so extraordinarily remarkable is the fact that it is the oldest preserved seal in Sweden and also, according to the Museum of National Antiquities, the only seal of a Swedish prince which has been preserved.

Karl Döve's seal will be sold at Stora Kvalitén at Stockholms Auktionsverk on Thursday, 29 November (viewing 16–25 November). This seal is one of the most remarkable Swedish antiques ever offered for auction.

If you have any other questions, please contact Information Manager Alexandra Frick on +46 (0) 8 493 6784, or send an e-mail to alexandra.frick@auktionsverket.se