AN IVORY 'DRAGON' SEAL THE SEAL: QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY THE SEAL FACE: QING DYNASTY, 19TH CENTURY 清十八世紀（印鈕）/ 清十九世紀（印面） 象牙雕「雙龍鈕」圓印 印文：《乾隆》
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Lot Closed
November 22, 03:21 AM GMT
Estimate
400,000 - 600,000 HKD
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Description
of cylindrical form, finely carved in openwork with a crouching dragon coiled around a 'flaming pearl', its broad expressive face detailed with bulging eyes and sharp claws coveting the jewel, the seal face later carved with the trigram qian flanked by a pair of stylised kui dragons forming the traditional pun for Qianlong, the ivory richly patinated to a warm straw tone
4.8 cm
Please note this lot contains restricted species. Prospective buyers are advised to consult with their local government agencies regarding import requirements prior to placing a bid. Sotheby's will not be able to offer international shipment of this lot.
此拍品含有受限制物種。買家須自行負責出口證事宜。蘇富比未能為此拍品提供國際運送服務。
Sotheby's Hong Kong, 8th October 2013, lot 3162.
來源：
香港蘇富比2013年10月8日，編號3162
The trigram carved on the surface seal is one of the bagua (Eight Trigrams) used in ancient times for divination. Bagua were the basis for the sixty-four hexagrams of the Zhou yi (Changes of the Zhou), the earliest form in the compilation known as the Yi Jing (Book of Changes) that was the main text providing guidance and assessment for state affairs during the Zhou dynasty.
Consisting of three unbroken lines, the present symbol, named qian, represents the male principle (yang). Qianlong was fond of symbols with archaic connotation and often used the combination of this trigram with dragons (long) as a homophone of his reign name.
Compare the carving of the dragon and ' flaming pearl' on this seal with the carving found on a soapstone Qianlong seal from the Guimet collection, sold in these rooms, 8th October 2009, lot 1652.