Abstract: A rotary seal seals a large, high temperature rotary drum to a stationary hood where the drum is mounted for rotation with respect to said hood. The seal is formed of a series of overlapping leaves of resilient metal disposed successively to encircle the drum surface, each leaf having an inner surface and an outer surface and a mounting end and a sealing end, with the mounting end affixed to the stationary hood, and the sealing end disposed at the drum surface with the outer surface concave. Each leaf extends obliquely at a substantial angle relative to an axial plane therethrough so that the sealing end is displaced circumferentially a substantial distance relative to the mounting end. Each leaf further has a sealing edge on its outer surface between the mounting and sealing ends extending obliquely of the axial plane, such sealing edge being disposed beneath the inner surface of an adjacent leaf.