SEAL MARK: Shangjun
IMPRESSION OF SEAL: Baqiong Shi

Shangjun is the pseudonym of Zhou Bin, a native of Zhangzhou, Fujian province, who was a renowned carver of seal knobs, and is thought to have worked during the mid to late 17th century. Shangjun was a widely celebrated seal-making master during Qing Dynasty, and this tianhuang seal is considered to be a fine example of his creations.

This lot is made of tianhuang stone, the top finely carved with a recumbent foreigner holding a metal leash in order to present the exotic and majestic bird as a tribute to the emperor, inscribed to one side with the two-character signature Shangjun, the seal face inscribed baqiong shi. This seal was formerly owned by Lu Zengxiang who is a renowned epigraphist born in 1816. Baqiong shi is the hall name of Lu Zengxiang.

PROVENANCE:
Private collection, Japan