For your consideration is an exceptionally rare and historically important mid-nineteenth-century Austrian Imperial district office double-sided seal stamp, dating to circa 1850 and issued under the authority of Franz Joseph I during the formative years of his reign. Crafted in brass and silver (or silver alloy), the seal presents an elegant two-tone construction typical of higher-grade administrative instruments of the Habsburg bureaucracy. Measuring approximately 41.1 mm in height, with a matrix diameter of 18.7 mm and a maximum width of 26 mm, and weighing 9.80 grams, the piece retains a balanced, functional form and an even, undisturbed patina consistent with age.

The primary matrix bears the crowned double-headed eagle of the Austrian Empire, the definitive heraldic emblem of Habsburg sovereignty, encircled by a mirrored legend reading K. K. BEZIRKSAMT DOBERZIG, translated as Imperial-Royal District Office of Doberzig. The use of the designation K. K. (Kaiserlich-Kniglich, Imperial-Royal) firmly situates the seal within the pre-1867 administrative structure of the Austrian Empire, prior to the adoption of the K. u. K. formula following the Austro-Hungarian Compromise. The engraving is crisply executed, with the imperial eagle rendered in correct heraldic form and the lettering deeply and cleanly cut for authoritative wax impressions.

The reverse matrix is engraved with an ornamental floral scrollwork design framed by a beaded border, likely intended for decorative, auxiliary, or ceremonial use. Such double-sided construction reflects both practicality and refinement within mid-nineteenth-century bureaucratic apparatus. The handle, turned in a graceful baluster profile, shows careful machining and retains its original surface character, reinforcing its authenticity as a working administrative implement rather than a later commemorative reproduction.

District office seals (Bezirksamt) functioned as official validating devices within the Habsburg administrative system, authenticating documents relating to civil governance, policing, taxation, and legal record keeping. Impressions made by such seals carried the direct authority of the imperial state during a period of significant centralization and bureaucratic modernization under Franz Joseph I. Double-sided examples with fully legible inscriptions and intact matrices are uncommon survivals. This example represents a well-preserved and museum-quality artifact of mid-nineteenth-century Habsburg administration, embodying both imperial heraldry and the practical machinery of empire.