China, first half of the 19^th century. Of square section, surmounted by a seated lion with its head turned towards its cub, one paw holding it down, their snouts gently touching and eyes interlocked. The mane, paws, and bushy tails finely carved and incised, the claws and spine well detailed. The seal face inscribed with a section of a poem by Tang dynasty poet Bai Juyi. The stone of a magnificent and even amber-orange color.

Inscriptions: The seal face inscribed ‘Ma jiang song gong shou, xin yu zhu ju kong’ (The appearance of the pine is thin, the heart is empty like a bamboo).

Provenance: West Berkshire, United Kingdom, local trade. By repute acquired from a private estate.
Condition: Excellent condition with expected old wear, light scratches, little nibbling to edges, the stone with natural fissures and inclusions.

Weight: 86.0 g
Dimensions: Size 4.1 x 3.9 x 3.6 cm

The fine coloration and luminosity of this tianhuang stone are skillfully accentuated through its intricately carved details which reveal the layers of subtle golden hues. The combination of carving in the round and low-relief detailing effectively captures the sunlight as it shines on and passes through the seal to further intensify the richness of color.

Tianhuang is a type of soapstone that is valued for its warm tones of amber and egg yolk as well as its lustrous sheen and was considered the rival to the finest and purest jade. Apart from being graded by its color, tianhuang was also priced according to its weight rather than size, hence making it one of the most expensive materials to carve.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 7 October 2015, lot 3734
Price: HKD 1,937,500 or approx. EUR 271,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A tianhuang 'Buddhist lion' seal, Qing dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the related motif, carving style, facial expressions, color of the stone, and size (4.9 x 3 x 3 cm)

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 29 May 2019, lot 546
Price: HKD 312,500 or approx. EUR 40,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A finely carved soapstone 'lion' seal, Qing dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the related motif, carving style, color of the stone, and size (3.8 x 3.1 x 3.1 cm)

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Galerie Zacke Vienna, 15 October 2021, lot 51
Price: EUR 13,904 or approx. EUR 15,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A carved tianhuang ‘qilin’ seal for Wen Xiang, Qing dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the related motif and color of the stone. Note the size (4.8 x 2.5 x 2.5 cm).



清代太獅少獅田黃印
中國，十九世紀上半葉。方印，印鈕雕刻一頭坐獅，它的頭轉向它的幼崽，用一隻爪子按住它，它們的鼻子親暱地相碰，眼睛相對。細節精美。印面刻有唐代詩人白居易的一段詩句。石料瑩潤，呈琥珀色。

款識：貌將松共瘦，心與竹俱空。

來源：英國伯克郡西部古玩交易，據説購於私人收藏。
品相：狀況極佳，有磨損、輕微劃痕，石料有天然裂縫和內沁

重量：86.0 克
尺寸：4.1 x 3.9 x 3.6 厘米

這塊田黃石的精美色澤和光度通過其複雜的雕刻細節巧妙地突出，展現出微妙的金色層次。圓形雕刻與淺浮雕細節相結合，有效捕捉陽光照射並穿過印章，進一步增強色彩的豐富度。

田黃是一種皂石，因其溫暖的琥珀色和蛋黃色調以及光澤而受到推崇，被認為可與最優質、最純淨的玉石相媲美。除了根據顏色分級外，田黃還根據重量而不是大小定價，它可以説是最昂貴的雕刻材料之一。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：香港蘇富比，2015年10月7日，lot 3734
價格：HKD 1,937,500（相當於今日EUR 271,000）
描述：清田黄太獅少獅鈕方章，印文：《坐看飛雲自卷舒》
專家評論：比較相近的主題、雕刻風格、面部表情、石色和尺寸(4.9 x 3 x 3 厘米) 。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：香港蘇富比，2019年5月29日，lot 546
價格：HKD 312,500（相當於今日EUR 40,000）
描述：清壽山石臥獅紐方印，印文：俠骨禪心
專家評論：比較相近的主題、雕刻風格、石色和尺寸(3.8 x 3.1 x 3.1 厘米)。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：維也納Galerie Zacke，2021年10月15日，lot 51
價格：EUR 13,904（相當於今日EUR 15,500）
描述：清代田黃麒麟鈕印
專家評論：比較相近的主題和石色。請注意尺寸 (4.8 x 2.5 x 2.5 厘米)。