A MINIATURE BAMBOO 'MUSHROOMS' SEAL BY YUE HONGQING, QING DYNASTY, 19TH CENTURY

crisply carved as a group of three mushrooms, with the tips of bamboo roots sprouting around the sides of the seal, the seal face carved in the positive Qin ru meihua (‘likening qin to plum blossoms’), the side of the seal signed in regular script with the artist's sobriquet, Yusan

The seal is in overall good condition with just typical age cracks and extremely minute flakes to the fragile extremities, such as the edges of the seal face. As visible in the catalogue photo, there is a 0.8 cm natural cavity to the right.
"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."

Yue Hongqing, also known as Yusan, was known as an imperial scholar from Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, who attained the zhusheng qualification. He was proficient at seal carving, and also well known for carving bamboo and wood.

The seal text refers to the surface of ancient lacquer qin and the fine crackles, known as duanwen, which according to the Qinjian [‘Qin Commentary’], form on the surface of the instrument over time due to prolonged use the vibrations formed when playing. These crackles are likened to the petals of plum blossoms and are thus known as meihua duan.