mrshelensbru

Identified! [Device that impresses the Great Seal of the United States on certain official documents] (LOC)

from The Library of Congress

• 9 older comments, and then…
• Pixel Wrangler said:

  This is The Great Seal of the United States.
  Shown are the die, the counter-die, and the press.
  The device is kept at the State Department.
  
  "These stand in the Exhibit Hall of the Department, [and are now] inside a glass enclosure which is kept locked at all times, even during the sealing of a document. The mahogany cabinet’s doors also are kept locked, and the press is bolted and padlocked in position except when in use." [1]
  
  More information, including photographs, about the history of the seal dating back to July 4, 1776, can be read at the State Department's Bureau of Public Affairs.

  The Great Seal in use today

• bawdy kittens said:

  Pixel Wrangler Good answer Pixel. I thought it was some kind of hot air regulator.

• Art Siegel said:

  another photo commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Great_Seal_press_with_All...

• Jon (LOC P&P) said:

  Thanks Pixel Wrangler for figuring out what this is. We'll update the catalog record. They may keep it locked up today but back then apparently it was not so secure.

• stayawake68 said:

  To stamp a document.