Beschreibung:

A RARE GROUP OF ELEVEN TIANHUANG SEALS, YIN 17TH CENTURY AND LATER Mostly of rich, semi-translucent honey tone with one of silver-gold type, jinyindong , most inscribed, fitted box Comprising: 1. A seal, yin , Ming/Qing Dynasty, of squat rectangular shape carved in low relief on the sides and rounded top, niu , with archaistic chilong , the stone with feathery darker inclusion--1¾ in. (4.3cm.) high Side inscriptions ( biankuan ): five-characters on narrow side which read, gu min zhou bin zhi , two characters which read, (Fang) Jiekan The seal in yangke script (positive cutting) forms part of a poem. The long inscription includes the name of the famous carver, Zhou Bin. Zhou Bin was a native of Zhangzhou in Fujian. The short inscription, (Fang) Jiekan , is the name of the seal carver. Fang Jiekan worked between 1903-1987 2. A seal, yin , probably Kangxi, of square shape carved in high relief on the upper section, niu , with two coiling phoenix amidst scrolling clouds and lingzhi , their wings and feathers finely detailed, supported on a square flat platform, pingtai , the stone of rare silver-gold type, jinyindong , minute chip and bruising on base and head of one phoenix--2 1/8in. (5.3cm.) high Side inscription, biankuan : two-character inscription reads, Xiuhai . Xiuhai is the art name of Xu Shanyeng, a famous seal carver The seal, unfortunately, has been removed 3. A seal, yin , Qing Dynasty, of tall rectangular shape with sloping upper surface, chips and bruise--2½in. (6.4cm.) high Side inscription, biankuan : thirteen-character inscription includes the carver's name, Tao Shoubo (1902 - ?), the cyclical date, renchen year (corresponding to 1952), and "carved for Chairman Wu" (Mayor of Shanghai) The seal in yinke (negative cutting) script reads, Wu Guozhen . Wu Guozhen (1903-1984, same as nos. 7 and 10) was the mayor of Shanghai before moving to Taipei 4. A seal, yin , Qing Dynasty, of small rectangular shape with sloping upper surface, minute chips and bruising--1 3/8in. (3.5cm.) high The seal in yangke (positive cutting) script, set within a gourd, reads, Biwuge (studio name: Pavilion of Green Wutong ) 5. A seal, yin , of small rectangular shape, the sides and top softly cut to imitate the natural surface of rockwork--1½in. (3.7 cm.) high The seal in yangke (positive cutting) script reads, Baiyunlou (hall name: Hall of White Cloud) 6. A seal, yin , Qing Dynasty, of small rectangular shape with gently sloping sides rising to a point at one side, the niu carved in shallow relief with a scaly dragon appearing from within a cloud and lunging upward at a sacred pearl, the very tip of the seal carved with the tail of the dragon as it disappears into the cloud--1 11/16in. (4.3 cm.) high Side inscription, biankuan : three characters which read, engraved by Shiyuan (seal), and two characters which read, xinhan , (carver of the original seal, now replaced) The seal in yangke (positive cutting) script reads, Zhouqun langzhu , and can be translated, "Zhouqun, painter of bamboo and orchid" 7. A seal, yin , Qing Dynasty, of upright square shape, the top with lightly chamfered edges, the stone with attractive inclusions--1 7/8 in. (4.8cm.) high Side inscription biankuan : seven characters which read, 'engraved by Tao Shoubo ' (same carver as seal no.3) and dated, 'summer of renchen year' (corresponding to 1952) The seal in yinke (negative cutting) script reads, Wu Guozhen (same as seal on Nos. 3 and 10) 8. A seal, yin , possibly Kangxi, of small, upright square shape with gently sloping sides rising to a point at one side, the niu carved in relief with a finely detailed phoenix amidst clouds and lingzhi , minute chips--1 9/16in. (3.9cm.) high Side inscription, biankuan : with a six-character (earlier) and a four-character (later ) inscription. The six characters can be read as Shuru , (name of the seal carver) following the style of a Han Dynasty official seal (now removed). Shuru is the art name of Zhao Shigang (1