Chinese Hand-Carved Soapstone Seal. Squat piece of natural stone depicting a dragon or other mythological creature tightly wound around the top, with characters on the underside covered in red ink stamp paste. 

Size: 1 1/2 x 1/2 x 2 1/4 in. 

Serving as the East Asian equivalent of Western signatures, seals (or stamps) have been used since antiquity across the Sinosphere on artwork, personal documents, and official contracts to prove identity and authenticity. Made from materials like stone, wood, or metal, these seals are traditionally stamped using vibrant red ink or cinnabar paste rather than the wax seals commonly seen in the West. Known historically to Western traders by terms like “chops,” seals became deeply woven into governance, commerce, and daily life across East and Southeast Asia, used by historical figures ranging from Japanese shōguns to modern citizens. Today, while electronic signatures and hand signatures are growing in popularity, name seals such as Japan’s hanko remain widely used by individuals and businesses to authenticate legal paperwork and agreements.

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