The New Student's Reference Work/Sealing-Wax

Seal′ing-Wax. Before ordinary sealing-wax was known in Europe, colored beeswax was used for sealing letters and documents. Sealing-wax was probably first made in India or China. The best red sealing-wax is made of shellac, Venetian turpentine and vermilion to which is often added magnesia, chalk or gypsum. In parcel-wax the main ingredient is common resin.