A Large Khotan Green Jade 'Dragon' Seal, Qing Dynasty

A Large Khotan Green Jade 'Dragon' Seal, Qing Dynasty, 19th/20th Century
清 十九/二十世纪 '皇帝信宝'交龙钮碧玉宝玺
Carved with two outfacing intertwined recumbent dragons, the seal face inscribed 'Huangdi Xinbao' in Chinese and Manchu seal scripts, 3.6 x 4.3 x 4.3 in — 9.2 x 10.8 x 10.8 cm

Provenance:
An Important Toronto Collection
Previously acquired from Hartman Rare Art, New York
来源: 多伦多重要私人珍藏
购于纽约哈特曼艺廊

Note:
Large seals carved with two outfacing dragons such as the present example have existed since the reign of Kangxi (1662-1722). By that time, emperors had been utilizing multiple seals for various purposes. The Qianlong Emperor (1736-1795) reduced and standardized the number of seals to twenty-five, one of which was inscribed 'Huangdi Xinbao', or 'The Seal of the Prestige of the Emperor'. The emperor used this seal when sending instructions to ministers and clansmen, and its primary function was to command troops for war or suppression.

Estimate: $20,000—25,000