Emma was absolutely beside herself with glee when she found the original antique seal buried in an auction group lot. The single photo provided was not a good one, she could only make out a bunch of grapes but the motto was not legible, so she took a punt as she had only ever seen grapes once before on a blue seal she had sold as a commission

There was peak anticipation awaiting the seal’s delivery and then unbridled joy when in hand and the totally freaking perfect motto was read

Wine Does Wonders, indeed it does, and no further explanation is required particularly at the exact mid point of the summer holidays when surely the world is replete with frazzled mums doing their level best to provide and enriching and nourishing vacay to their kids whilst also juggling work, the house, the wider family, the pet dog and goodness knows what else

As Emma says so often (the perennial stuck record that she is) what is so brilliant about antique seals is that they demonstrate unequivocally that ain’t too much changed….what comforted the Georgians and Victorians are still the same things that comfort us now. And in this case, at the end of another long day of invisible labour and mental load that just happens to be a judicous glass or two of cool crisp white