AN EXTREMELY RARE JADE ‘OWL’ CIRCULAR SEAL

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HKD 201 600
Auction dateClassic
29.11.2022 10:00UTC +08:00
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CHRISTIE'S
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Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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ID 848886
Lot 2741 | AN EXTREMELY RARE JADE ‘OWL’ CIRCULAR SEAL
AN EXTREMELY RARE JADE ‘OWL’ CIRCULAR SEAL

HAN DYNASTY (206 BC-AD 220)

The circular seal is surmounted by a finial in the form of an owl with its head turned back to rest on its feathery wings. The seal face is plain.



Most seals from the Han dynasty are square in shape. It is extremely rare to find a circular jade seal like the present example, and even rarer to fine one with a finial in the form of an owl. Most extant examples from this period are carved with tortoise or dragon finials. The owl on the current seal is comparable to a white jade square seal surmounted by an owl finial, unearthed from the tomb of the Marquis of Haihun in Nanchang, Jiangxi province (fig. 1).

7/8 in. (2.4 cm.) diam., box





Provenance

Dexinshuwu Collection, acquired in Hong Kong in 1996

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