A Large Chinese Khotan Green Jade 'Dragon' Seal, Qing Dynasty, 19th Century清 十九世纪 '皇帝信宝'交龙钮碧玉宝玺Well-carved with two outfacing intertwined recumbent dragons, their thick bodies finely rendered with scales, the middle portion of their bodies pierced with an aperture, the underside inscribed 'Huangdi Xinbao' in Chinese and Manchu seal scripts, the stone of deep emerald tone with faint cloudy white and black speckled inclusions, 3.6 x 4.3 x 4.3 in — 9.2 x 10.8 x 10.8 cmProvenance:Hartman Rare Art, New York来源: 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.The quality of the present carving is stylistically consistent with imperial seals of the 19th century. However, the dimensions of the base reveal that this seal may have had two lives. The dragon carving and the carving of the seal face are dissimilar in quality, which suggests that the original seal may have been defaced at some point, usually accomplished by ceremonially smashing one corner. After the damage, it is possible that the seal was cut down to remove the broken corner, re-carved, and then reused. The result is a seal with slightly shorter base and a mysterious past.Compare with examples sold at Heffel Toronto, April 28, 2022, lot 122; and Bonhams Hong Kong, November 27, 2018, lot 141参考一枚类似碧玉宝玺，多伦多Heffel拍卖2022年4月28日，拍品编号122Due to significant interest in this lot, further information may be requested; please contact asianart@waddingtons.ca in order to participate in bidding for this lot.参与竞标此件拍品需要您联系asianart@waddingtons.ca进行特别注册Estimate: $20,000—25,000