Carved white jade seal ‘Dragon’, Qing dynasty

Exceptional seal carved from white jade of great purity and translucency. The piece, with a square base, is crowned by an imposing dragon, finely sculpted and openwork, crouching on its sharp-clawed legs. Its gaze is fierce, with open jaws, large eyes, an imposing crest, and a scaly body. The perimeter of the base is decorated with fine bands of geometric patterns and at the bottom there are four characters carved in bas-relief: “乾清宮寶”, which refer to the seal of the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the residence of the emperors in the Forbidden City.

Size: 7 x 8.3 x 8.3 cm

Weight: 760 g

Provenance:

· Collection of Tommy Lam, Hong Kong, since 1980