While stone is the material most commonly used to carve seals, a wide variety of other materials are used to carve these exquisite pieces of art. This month Sinorama will survey the numerous other seal materials.
In ancient times, seals were carved from metals and precious metals such as copper, gold, silver and iron. Court officials were obligated by rank to use certain materials for seals, while commoners were free to use any material they wished to use. Copper seals were most prevalent, while the iron seals used by high officials proved less suitable as they were subject to rust and oxidation. The so-called 'gold' and 'silver' seals were actually plated copper seals. Pure gold or silver was too expensive and far too soft for carving.
Jade, the most revered of all precious materials, was also used as a seal stone. Although jade was difficult to carve because of its incredible hardness, the stone was cherished for its lustrous sheen, and pure, clean lines. In addition to jade, other precious and semi-precious stones such as agate, amber, emerald and crystallized quartz were used by craftsmen to carve intricate seals. Like jade, difficult to carve, these stones were also prized for their luster and transparent hues.
Ivory is considered one of the best non-stone, seal materials. Its soft yet durable nature, fine line structure and color make it a favorite of seal-carvers. Ivory is also considered fortuitous by the Chinese.
In addition, cow horn, deer antler and such exotic woods as sandalwood and boxwood were less frequently used to carve seals. Collecting unusual seals became popular among educated people, who often included bamboo root and intricately carved olive-pit seals in their collections.
(Gerald Hatherly)
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