A FINELY CARVED SOAPSTONE 'MYTHICAL BEAST' SEAL QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY

the rich speckled dark cinnabar-red and yellow-ochre stone powerfully carved with a finial in the form of a lion standing foursquare, the beast rendered with the head lowered towards the left and portrayed with well-defined muscles and powerful claws, the yellow section of the stone skilfully utilised to depict the beast's mane and tail, the seal face effaced

1979年2月購於香港

曾柱昭及莫士撝，《文玩萃珍》，香港大學馮平山博物館，香港，1986年，編號66

The seal in in very good condition. There is an extremely minute nibbling to the left eyelid.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

壽山質，帶珠砂點。見方，無印文。雕瑞獸為鈕，瑞獸挺立，半回首，雙目炯炯。毫髮絲絲分明，四肢雄壯有力，威風凜然，生動傳神，應出自宮廷巧匠之手。工匠巧妙地利用石天然之色，雕琢髦髮，渾然天成，匠心獨運。

壽山石質溫潤細緻，色澤斑斕，千百年來備受文人墨客之青睞。清人入關，皇帝學習鑽研漢族文化，並繼承漢族文人刻製閒章以明志趣的傳統，多刻壽山石印章，反映其政治思想、個人意趣及閒暇生活，為後人留下了重要實物資料。

雍正元年（1723年）正月，怡親王（1686-1730年）上呈多方壽山石雕獸鈕寶， 雍正下旨交造辦處刻字作鐫刻印面，其中「紅色壽山石飛熊鈕圖書」鐫「朝乾夕惕」，同飾瑞獸鈕，頭頂毫髮利用石中黃色部分巧作，與本璽有異曲同工之妙；詳見中國第一歷史檔案館、香港中文大學文物館合編，《清宮內務府造辦處檔案總匯》，北京，2005年，卷1，頁10，此璽仍存北京故宮，收錄於《故宮經典－明清帝后寶璽》，故宮博物院，北京，2008年，編號169。康熙駕崩，至雍正登極、怡親王上呈圖章，前後才不過兩月餘，難完如此精雕壽石印寶數方，是以可推故宮類例應始於康末、成於雍初，恰正新帝之名。

清朝皇帝刻製壽山印璽以康熙、雍正及乾隆三代為盛，質佳工精。康熙皇帝在位六十一年，刻製寶璽不下一百三十方，壽山石璽有百方之多。香港蘇富比2016年4月6日，編號3102，壽山石瑞獸鈕「淵鑒齋」璽，即是康熙帝諸多寶璽中十分重要的一方。雍正皇帝對壽山石情有獨鍾，在位十三年，共用過印璽約二百方，其中有一百六十餘方為壽山石質。乾隆皇帝所製寶璽逾千方，壽山石質便有六百方之多。