Tianhuang Cuneiform Seal - Rare and Exquisite Shoushan Stone Seal Inscribed

Description: Tianhuang Cuneiform Seal - Rare and Exquisite Shoushan Stone This is a unique opportunity to own a piece of history and art. This seal is made of Tianhuang, a precious material sometimes referred to as a Shoushan stone. Tianhuang has been used for carving since the Southern dynasties (420–589 CE). Shoushan stone is quarried from a mountain called Shoushan in the northern suburbs of Fuzhou, Fujian Province. It has a fine texture, rich colors, and a translucent quality that makes it ideal for carving. The seal features cuneiform writing on the top, which is the oldest form of writing in the world, dating back to around 3500 BCE. Cuneiform was used to write several languages of the Ancient Near East, such as Sumerian, Akkadian, Hittite, and Elamite. Cuneiform was originally written by pressing a cut, straight reed into slightly moist clay, producing wedge-shaped impressions that give the writing its name. Cuneiform was adapted by Chinese culture and became a symbol of artistic expression and cultural splendor.The bottom of the seal bears the characters 大間年画, which means ōma Nenga in Japanese. This is a term for New Year's paintings, which are traditional artworks that depict auspicious scenes and symbols for the coming year. They are often given as gifts or hung on walls to bring good luck and prosperity. The seal may have been used by a Japanese artist or collector who appreciated Chinese culture and art. Chinese seals are used to mark important documents, pieces of art, contracts, or any other item that requires a signature. They serve as a confirmation of identity or a sign to be verified. They are also used by artists and collectors to mark their calligraphy, paintings, and books as an act of appreciation or ownership. Most Chinese people have a personal name seal, and some artists and scholars have full sets of name seals with different designs and phraseology. This seal is a beautiful golden yellow color. It is 1&1/2 inches in width, height, and depth. It is in excellent condition and comes with a silk box for storage and display. It is a rare and exquisite item that will enhance your collection or make a perfect gift for someone who appreciates history and art.This seal was originally in a prominent Southern California collection that we acquired some years ago and only recently have we decided to share some of these gems. This seal can be seen with a few other treasures from that collection in two of the provided photos. This sale listing is only for the Shoushan seal. A Shoushan seal is also called a Tianghuang seal. A Tianghuang stone is a type of nacrite, a clay mineral that is used for carving and seal making in China. It is also known as Shoushan, Tianhuang or Yellow Field stone, because it is mainly found in the Shoushan village in Fujian province, where it was formed under rice fields. The color of tianghuang stones ranges from greyish to golden yellow, and some have red veins that resemble radishes. Tianghuang stones are highly valued for their beauty, rarity and historical significance. They are considered one of the Four Great Seal Stones in China, along with Balin, Changhua and Qingtian stones. Tianghuang stones are illegal to export from China, and many fakes are made from other materials such as Laos stone. The most valuable variety of tianghuang stone consists of golden yellow nacrite with a coating of colorless, transparent to semi-transparent dickite.This seal consists of golden yellow nacrite in lovely subtle natural shades.This beauty was evaluated at the 2018 San Diego Antiques Roadshow. We will consider and promptly reply to all fair offers. Thank you for your interest. Shipping costs include full insurance.We hope you enjoyed the information. We believe this treasure may be many times more valuable, in the right auction house, than we are asking for it here on eBay. Good luck.

Price: 1500 USD

Location: El Cajon, California

End Time: 2024-01-15T19:26:07.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD