A SMALL AND FINE IMPERIAL WHITE JADE 'DE SUI CHU XIN' SEAL QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD

of small oval form, surmounted by a delicately carved qilong dragon in high relief, the small beast powerfully carved with its body crouching low on its haunches and its head turned sharply to the right, the seal face finely carved with the characters De sui chu xin ('Able to Follow My Original Intention'), the stone of an even and pure milky-white tone throughout and finished with a smooth polish

Removed from the Shouhuangdian (Hall of Imperial Longevity), Beijing, 1900.
Acquired at Galerie Langweil, a leading gallery in Paris at the turn of the 20th century. 

Apart from 3 minute 1mm nicks and one 1mm bruise to the edge of the seal face, the overall condition is very good. The actual colour of the stone is very close to the colour in the catalogue illustration.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The present seal belongs to a set of three seals and paired with Taishang Huangdi (Treasure of Emperor Emeritus) and Guizheng nai xunzheng (Retired but still giving advice).  The seal is a Yinshou zhang; it was used to make impressions at the right top corner of a painting or piece of calligraphy.

The Desui chuxin (Able to Follow My Original Intention) seal was a very important seal during the time of Emperor Qianlong's retirement, since it means that "that he now has fulfilled his heart's desire, which he had had from the very beginning of his life."  It revealed his enormous satisfaction that family and national matters were progressing just as he had planned from the very beginning.  To him, chuxin "original intention" means that as early as he succeeded as Emperor, this was his intention—and all this had been fulfilled.  Emperor Qianlong had mentioned many times in his later years that "When I first became emperor, I burned incense and reported to the azure Heaven that if I were allowed to reign for a full sixty-year cycle, I would then abdicate to my heir, for I dare not reign more years than my ancestor [the Kangxi emperor], this I recorded among important events that I made clear in edicts promulgated all over the empire and abroad.  Now I respectfully welcome the great change, fortunately fulfilling my original heart's desires."  "It has been sixty years of my reign and my initial wish is fulfilled.  The beginning of this year, I was bestowed the seal and name of Taishang Huang (Emperor Emeritus). I am blessed to be an all-rounded man through out the ages."  "I was bestowed the seal on the first day of Jiaqing reign [9 February 1796] and my initial wish was fulfilled.  It has been three years".  The tremendous feeling of having his original wish fulfilled remained with Emperor Qianlong when he was Taishang Huang.  The Desui chuxin seal has accurately and aptly expressed such a sentiment.