Wax jack

A wax jack (wax-jack, taper-jack[2]) is a device used to hold a taper of sealing wax intended to create sealings on documents.

A wax jack was a vertical or horizontal shaft around which a thin beeswax taper was coiled.

The top end protruded through a hole in a pan that had a pincer to hold the taper in place.

This allowed the taper to be lit and the resulting puddle of wax easily controlled.

Some models, called "bougie boxes," had a pierced enclosure around the shaft to protect the taper.