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Pair of Ancient Bronze Chinese Seals browse these categories for related items... All Items: Chinese: Antiquities: Early Metalwork: Pre AD 1000: item #895418 Please refer to our stock #SCH308 A & B when inquiring.
$195 each or $375 for the pair |
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DESCRIPTION: Chinese seals, a distinctive form of national art, developed from very ancient times. Originating from molded clay stamps, bronze seals appeared in an embryonic form in the Shang and Zhou dynasties (1600 BC – 256 BC). This pair of tiny bronze seals is an excellent representation of the early forms of Chinese seal making. The simple square seal pictured on the left dates from the Han dynasty or earlier (206 BC – 220 AD), while the seal on the right which is adorned with a seated dog or horse dates from the Tang Dynasty (618-906 AD) or earlier.
The early bronze seals, mostly bearing rank titles of government officials and military officers, were almost uniformly small, unadorned and had perforated knobs for hanging from belts as badges of identity. As seals came to be used on paper, they evolved into a more vertically elongated format which made them easier to grasp. In the Tang and Song periods, carvings of animal forms were added, such as the zodiac animals or the four spirit creatures (the dragon, tiger, phoenix, and tortoise). Later seals tend to have more of the images of the fu dog, or Buddhist lion, carved at the top. DIMENSIONS: Largest base measures 5/8” square (1 ½ cm). Seal with the animal is slightly over 1” high (2.2 cm). |
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