Item specifics:
Culture: Asian (Chinese) Type: Large Uncarved / Blank Seal Stone (Chop) Style: Traditional Scholar's Desk Object Subject: Chinese Zodiac – Rat / Mouse Material: Carved Soapstone / Shoushan-style Stone (Tri-color: Pink, Yellow, Cream) Dimensions: 3.8 × 1.3 × 1.3 in (9.6 × 3.3 × 3.3 cm) Condition: Excellent vintage/unused condition – The stone is substantial and free of major chips. Crucially, the base is blank (uncarved), making it ready for custom engraving. Includes original fabric-covered storage box.
Description
A substantial and visually striking vintage Chinese stone seal, housed in its original presentation box. This piece is significantly larger and heavier than standard miniature seals, measuring nearly 4 inches tall and 1.3 inches wide.
The seal is topped with a hand-carved finial of a Rat (or Mouse), the first animal of the Chinese Zodiac, symbolizing wisdom, wealth, and adaptability. The stone itself is a highlight, featuring beautiful natural striations with bands of pinkish-red and creamy beige running through a warm yellow body.
The base is flat, polished, and uncarved, offering a blank canvas for a calligrapher or artist to engrave a custom name or studio mark. It arrives in a fitted, patterned fabric box, making it an excellent gift for someone born in the Year of the Rat (1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020) or a collector of scholar's objects.
Key features:
Substantial Size: A heavy, wide-bodied seal (1.3" square base) with impressive presence
Symbolic Carving: Features the Zodiac Rat (New Beginnings & Prosperity)
Natural Beauty: Distinctive multi-colored layering in the stone (Red/Yellow/White)
Blank Base: Ready for custom engraving
Presentation: Includes original vintage storage box with toggle closure
