Carved jade seal ‘Archaic Dragon’, Qing dynasty

An ivory-toned jade seal with amber veins, topped with a lion-like mythological creature, interpreted as an archaic dragon. The figure is upright, with a robust body, bulging eyes, gaping maw, and claws firmly resting on the upper surface of the seal. Its curved body, with spiral detailing on the limbs and back, alludes to the decorative style typical of early Chinese dragons. The base is finely engraved on one side with ‘乙末五月 杭人黄易’ and in the lower area with seal-style characters ‘茶熟香温且自看’. Qing dynasty (1644-1912) or later.

Size: 6.3 x 2.6 x 2.6 cm

Weight: 95.1 g