It is possible that the signature Sanyi identifies the late Qing dynasty carver and art connoisseur, Sun Sanyi, who was a native of Pinghu in Zhejiang province and was active during the Daoguang-Xianfeng reigns, cf. Zhongguo Meishu Jiarenming Cidian, Shanghai renmin meishu chubanshe, 1985, p. 677.