Italian, Palermo, Sicilian Sumac, Image by StuE, Found by Goretex.
Found in Yorkshire, 17.2mm, 6.8g.
Seal showing a leaved plant with flowers on both sides. On the first side it has the following letters curved around the border:- (R?)OUND.ST(R?)(A?)? (section missing). On the second side there are unusual markings above the flower, possibly even a foreign script and more writing around the border of which only O can be deciphered.
From Paul Cannon, "I would suggest that both (this seal and this) are the same type and relate to the sumac trade of Sicily. By comparing both I believe that one face reads ‘STEAM GROUND’ around a group of 5 small flower heads. The other face reads ‘PALERMO’ with two flowers and two leaves above. Above this are a number of unclear symbols/letters.
Sumac was a high quality vegetable tanning agent and was particularly grown around Palermo in Sicily. At the beginning of the 20th century there were concerns about adulterants being added to Sicilian sumac by its producers. As a result a major analysis of hundreds of sumac samples took place which were published in 1908 by Veitch*. This contains the names of many of the actual Sicilian sumac producers. Not only does Veitch name the producers, he records how each particular bag of sumac was labelled by the producer. From other sumac seals on the Bagseals site it is clear that Veitch, in his tables under the column 'Statement on bags as to purity' is recording what the seals actually say. I have searched through all of Veitch's tables and ONLY one producer describes his sumac as 'steam ground', presumably the most up to date way of preparing it. This producer was C Wederkind & Co, Palermo. [Samples nos. 1515; 1517; 1760 and 2037 all on Table III]. In looking again at the unclear symbols/letters on the face above Palermo, I believe that part of this may represent C W, perhaps a part of a ?logo for this firm. *COMMERCIAL SICILIAN SUMAC, F. P. VEITCH."
