seal BM-SLMisc.898

Period:Ming dynasty Production date:17thC
Materials:quartz, mineral,
Technique:
Subjects:lion dog
Dimensions:Height: 5.80 centimetres Width: 2.70 centimetres Depth: 2.70 centimetres

Description:
Seal with knob in the shape of a lion dog and carved with two-character inscription in relief in seal script on base. Made of quartz, crystal.
IMG


Comments:Sir Hans Sloane’s ‘Miscellanea’ catalogue is a bound volume in Central Archives containing seven separate catalogues: ‘Miscellanies’, ‘Antiquities’, ‘Seals’, ‘Pictures’, ‘Mathematical Instruments’, ‘Agate Handles’ and ‘Agate Cups, Bottles, Spoons’. Each contains numbered entries that list and describe objects collected by Sloane between the 1680s and 1750s. Each catalogue begins with object number one. Text from Sloane Miscellanea catalogue: Miscellanea Miscellanies 898 “898. A Chinese or Japanese seal, letter mark or word cutt upon chrystall which is an inch Square made cubicallye & on which is carved a lyon.” SlMisc.898 Registration number checked against Sloane Misc. Catalogue. 20.11.2019 ‘The word crystal (shuijing水晶) is composed of shui (水) meaning ‘water’ and jing (晶) ‘brilliant’. Rock crystal is also known as shuiyu (水玉) or ‘water jade’ and was understood to be petrified water.Crystal has long been prized in China for its purity and clarity, qualities that made it popular among the literati of Imperail China with their respect for learning and uprightness. Snuff bottles, calligraphy accessories, offical hat finials and buttons, and chops can all be found made of beautifully carved crystal. Large pieces of uncarved crystal were also collected as works of art in themselves.’Chinese Art, A Guide to Motifs and Visual Imagery by Patricia Bjaaland Welch, P62 In Sloane’s own manuscript catalogue of his collection of Miscellanies (AOA Library, BM), he describes this as: “898. A Chinese or Japanese seal, letter mark or word cutt upon chrystall which is an inch square made cubicalll & on which is carved a lyon } 0.5.0.” There is a drawing in pen and ink of the two characters on the base next to the entry, which was probably drawn by A.W. Franks in 1854 (his initials and date are inscribed next to the entry. The following entry in the the catalogue is “899. Another —” This seal has not yet been identified in the surviving collections.