Seal Name “Branch”

Category

肖形印 Xiaoxing Yin Picture Seal

Material

The Macduff metamorphic as I often use for inkstones but in the form of a water worn piddock bored beach pebble.

Impression.

A yang cut branch in leaf.

General Description

Dark water worn as found except for printing surface. A pebble seal that functions as a miniature scholar’s rock (供石Gongshi).

Notes

A piddock is a mollusc that bores into stones, if the result is a hole right through it then becomes a hag stone that can be used to protect from enchantment, curses, nightmares etc. or by a seer to keek into fairyland or the future. They were often hung over stalls for horses and cattle or beds for people to prevent them being 'hag ridden' in the night.

Dimensions in millimetres

Height

50 mm

Width

44 mm

Depth

22 mm