DATED CYCLICAL XINWEI YEAR CORRESPONDING TO 1931 AND OF THE PERIOD

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A PAIR OF SOAPSTONE SEALS BY ZHANG YUECHENG FOR DU YUESHENG
DATED CYCLICAL XINWEI YEAR CORRESPONDING TO 1931 AND OF THE PERIOD
Each columnar seal is surmounted by a finial carved in the form of a seated mythical beast with a bifurcated horn. One is incised with a seven-character inscription to one side incorporating the signature of the carver and the year, with a four-character inscription in intaglio on the seal face, Du Yong xin yin, ‘seal of Du Yong’. The other is incised on the side with a dedicatory inscription from Lu Jingshi for Du Yuesheng, signed Zhang Yin, with a two-character inscription in relief on the seal face reading Yuesheng.
3 15/16 in. (10 cm.) high, box (2)

Lot Essay

Du Yong (1888-1951), pseudonym Yuesheng, was one of the key leaders of the Green Gang of Shanghai during the Republic period. Zhang Yuecheng (1883-1961) was a seal carving master who had created seals for numerous important figures from the late Qing dynasty to Republic period including Puyi, Duan Qirui, Wu Peifu, Feng Yuxiang, Bai Chongxi. The present pair of seals were given to Du Yuesheng from Lu Jingshi (1907-1983), a contemporary businessman and politician, to commemorate the construction of the Du Family Temple in Pudong, Shanghai.

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