An important and exceptionally rare imperial carved amber 'five dragons' 'jingyun qinian' seal, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period | 清康熙 康熙帝御寶琥珀五龍鈕璽 印文：景運耆年

An important and exceptionally rare imperial carved amber 'five dragons' 'jingyun qinian' seal,

Qing dynasty, Kangxi period

清康熙 康熙帝御寶琥珀五龍鈕璽 印文：景運耆年

of rectangular section, masterfully carved with a mountain-like knop encompassing the writhing bodies of five vigorous three-clawed and five-clawed dragons, each beast twisting and weaving amid wispy clouds and flames with their long flowing manes and layers of scales delicately picked out with fine well-defined lines, the base carved with the characters jingyun qinian in seal script enclosed within a single line border, the amber of rich translucent golden reddish-orange colour with a small area of slight mistiness

2.5 by 4.2 by h. 5 cm