Page 104 - Reginald and Lena Palmer Collection EXHIBITION, Bonhams London Oct 25 to November 2 2021

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A LARGE IMPERIAL GREEN JADE ‘XIANG XI DIAN BAO’
DRAGON-HANDLED SEAL
17th/18th century
10.4cm (4 1/8in) square.
十七/十八世紀 御製青玉雕龍鈕「祥曦殿寶」印

Provenance:
R.H.R Palmer (1898-1970), Collection no.154

Published and Exhibited:
The Arts Council of Great Britain and The Oriental Ceramic Society,
Chinese Jade Throughout the Ages, London, 1975, no.459

來源：
R.H.R Palmer（1898-1970）舊藏，典藏編號154

展覽著錄：
英國藝術委員會與倫敦東方陶瓷學會，《Chinese Jade Throughout
the Ages》，倫敦，1975年，編號459

This imposing green jade seal is carved in the
form of a fierce five-clawed dragon crouching
foursquare gazing forward with its mouth
agape revealing menacing teeth, with flames
carved over its haunches.

The underside is deftly carved in intaglio with
the four-character inscription Xiang xi dian
bao, which may be translated as ‘Treasure of
the Hall of Auspicious Joy’. The name ‘Xiangxi
Hall’ is recorded for an Imperial hall which
existed during the Southern Song dynasty
(1127-1279 AD) in Lin’an, today’s Hangzhou.

A similarly carved green jade seal, inscribed
Shiquan Wugong Zhi Bao, ‘Seal of ten military
victories’, 18th century, is in the collection
of the British Museum, London, acc.
no.1885,1227.64. Compare also with a jade
‘dragon’ seal, inscribed Duan ming dian bao,
in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,
acc.no.1919.6, which like the Palmer seal is
also inscribed with a Song dynasty hall name.

102 | BONHAMS