Copper high-nose button “the seal of the province”

[Copper high-nose button “the seal of Zhongshu Province”]

Copper high-nose button “the seal of Zhongshu Province”, Tang Dynasty, printed 5.7 × 5.6 cm, 3.9 cm high
It is made of copper and has a high nose button. There are overlapping strokes in the printed text. Zhu Wen, read “the seal of the central province” from the top right. On the back of the seal, there is an inscription in regular script, “the seal of Zhongshu Province”
In the Sui and Tang dynasties, seals were made by folding copper sheets into characters and then welding them with the grooves on the printing surface. This is a new method of making seals at this time, which has a deep impression. This law is still reserved for the manufacture of some seals of the Song Dynasty. This “Zhongshu Provincial Seal” is made in this way. Because the seal is made of thin copper sheet, the seal has the feeling of iron wire and yang wen behind it. It is a rare relic of the official seal of the Tang Dynasty.

“中书省之印”印印面“中书省之印”印钤本“中书省之印”印拓片