Chinese Seals: 120 Chinese 'shous' in Leloatong

Here's the story: These scrolls---4 of an original 6---were owned by a collector of antique Chinese books and "the four treasures of the study (inkstick, inkstone, brush, and paper)." The title of the piece is "A Collection of 120 Chinese Character Shous in Leloatong." The scrolls were made by the seal engraver Sun Pan in the 49th year of the Emperor Qianlong (1784). Mr. Sun Pan is said to have collected the impressions of the character 'shou' (longevity) from many famous seal carvers of different dynasties, and added (in black) a short commentary for each. Supposedly this collection appears on p. 92 of the book "A Dictionary of Chinese Seal Characters," but I'm afraid to check it out. Probably a forgery (it's clearly old and re-mounted on new scroll backings) but a beauty in any case.

Anyone know anything? I'd be happy to email better photos if someone wants to work on this.

Some background

While acquiring some Asian art of dubious provenance I found myself admiring the red seals (chops) more than the pictures. I now have about 150. Pecuniary considerations prevent me from acquiring seals of emperors or famous artists. Just as well, as my tastes run to the idiosyncratic and peculiar, a result, I suppose, of my involvment with contemporary art. I find the pugnacious lion below as interesting as the elegant dragon above.

Historically seal impressions are admired as tiny works of art, "the world in a square inch" as the author Jason Kuo says. The writing used in seals (zhuanshu) uses the first uniformly adopted Chinese script (c. 220 BCE) to convey names, ideas and sentiments. The side of the seal frequently carries a poetic verse, a scenic description, the date of the seal's engraving and/or the name of the carver in kaishu which after about 350 CE became (and is called) 'standard script.' So, in very short compass, there is a tight living history of the central Chinese artistic practice, calligraphy.

Originally (and still) seals were made in bronze or jade. For the past 500 years or so the material of choice has been varieties of soapstone known variously as Shou Shan, Mei Ling, Ba Lin and several others. These stones are prized above gems for their beauty. Some seals are plain in form; others are elaborately carved and decorated, frequently making clever use of color transitions in the stone. Ideally a seal will have a balance between the stone itself, carving, side inscriptions and impression.

Because Asian artists used a 'studio name,' usually poetic, to sign their works, their given names can be elusive. A traditional Chinese dating system uses a sixty-year revolving lunar calendar making exact dating a problem also. Where I'm unsure of a character I put in vacant brackets []. I don't speak or read Chinese, but have gotten pretty good at using both zhuanshu and kaishu dictionaries. My thanks to Alan Ho for making up for some of my many deficiencies.

The first (bottom) post here is a list of recommended books.

Chinese Seals

120 Chinese 'shous' in Leloatong

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Links to my other sites

Bookstores/Websites for seals

Some background