World Silver & Bronze

Lot 3184    Session 11 (9.30am Thursday)    World Silver & Bronze

Estimate $100
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $120

CHINA, Sung Dynasty,copper note seal 'One Guan Bei He Tong' , cast block 72 x 47 mm. Very fine and very rare.

A treasure handed down from ancient time, picked from 'An introduction to A ncient Royal Seals'. The original explanation states: 'The copper seal '1 Guan Bei He Tong' in regular script is a treasure handed down from the ancient time, which is used at the back of Hui Zi (a kind of paper note) in the southern Song'. According to 'Song Shi, Yu Fu Zhi': 'The Ministers again said: 'The credit of official seal is important, whenever there is officical seal, the seal characters become blurred through long time of using, which should be recast, but have to ask for the approval, otherwise it would not be allowed.' When it is recast... to be done by Du Cha Chang Hui Zi Ku, and twenty five seals are given for each Jie... twelve contract seals, among which two seals for one guan wen, each in characters 'One Guan Wen Contract Seal of Hui Zi Ku'. All the banknotes of the Song Dynasty have contract seals. But there are many kinds of paper money of the Song Dynasty and it is not clear where this seal is used.