Page 154 - Bonhams Chinese Works of Art December 2014
P. 154
8298
8299 8300
8298 Property from the O’Brien Collection of Asian Art
A group of eight soapstone seals with figural or
animal finials 8299
Republic period Two soapstone seals
Including three carved with seated qilin finials, the taller one of straw Early 20th century
colored matrix inscribed at the base, the shorter ones of pale and The first a rectangular seal of square cross-section, the top finely
dark caramel hue without inscriptions; a pair of mottled purple and carved in relief within a thin frame with an archaistic dragon, encircled
beige matrix with matching finials carved as squirrels amid grapes, the by bat and key-fret bands to the sides, the base deeply incised with
minute inscriptions to the front highlighted in green pigment and the xunchang baixing characters; the second of a natural boulder form,
bases also inscribed; the sixth of mottled gray and brown, the finial the sides carved in gentle relief with a landscape scattered with floral
formed as a fabulous beast standing with its hind legs supported on and a large chrysanthemum branch, one side incised with a signature
the low square base inscribed with two characters on the reverse; Shiru, the seal face carved in relief with two characters reading mo xi.
the seventh a mottled beige and olive seal of rectangular form deeply 2 3/8in (6cm) and 2 1/4in (5.7cm) height of each
undercut and incised with a recumbent water buffalo and its calf; the $1,200 - 1,800
eighth a mottled reddish brown and ocher square-sectioned seal
inscribed at the base, the finial deeply undercut as Shoulao standing 8300
beneath a pine bough issuing from a rocky hillside. A yellow soapstone seal
2 to 3 3/4in (5 to 9.5cm) high Xin An mark, dated 1902
$1,500 - 2,500 Of square cross-section, the rectangular seal with well-polished sides,
the base carved in relief with seven characters reading ‘shusheng
xiri ye congjun,’ one side inscribed, dedicated to Mr. Qing, with a
signature Xin An, dated renyin, corresponding 1902, the top crisply
carved with a stylized shou cartouche; the stone of a rich honey tone.
1 15/16 x 1 3/16 x 1 3/16in (4.9 x 3 x 3cm)
$1,000 - 1,500
152 | BONHAMS
