THE WISE WORDS, 'LOVE YOUR PEOPLE AS YOU WOULD YOUR OWN CHILDREN', ON THE SEAL OF A CHINESE EMPEROR WHO RULED A CENTURY AGO WERE NOT ENOUGH TO SAVE HIS REIGN DURING THE BOXER REBELLION AROUND 1900. THE IMPERIAL WHITE JADE DOUBLE-DRAGON SEAL IS ESTIMATED TO SELL FOR £100,000 TO £150,000 AT BONHAM'S SALE OF FINE CHINESE ART IN THE NEW BOND STREET SHOWROOM, LONDON, ON 5.NOVEMBER DURING ASIAN ART WEEK IN LONDON. THE RECTANGULAR SEAL IS SURMOUNTED WITH A PAIR OF DRAGONS, EACH RECUMBENT WITH BULGING EYES AND A SCALY CONJOINED BODY ARCHING OVER SWIRLING CLOUDS PIERCED WITH AN APERTURE FOR ATTACHMENT, THE BASE CARVED WITH FOUR CHARACTERS READING "AIREN RUZI" WITHIN THE BORDER OF SCROLLING TENDRILS, THE STONE OF A PALE WHITE TONE WITH SMALL AREAS OF OPAQUE INCLUSIONS -- IT IS JUST FOUR AND A QUARTER INCHES LONG.
A SPOKESMAN FOR BONHAM'S SAID: "ONCE IN A WHILE AN OBJECT OF UNIQUE IMPERIAL CHINESE IMPORTANCE EMERGES WHICH CAUSES ONE TO CATCH ONE'S BREATH, HOLDING IN ONE'S HANDS A PERSONAL OBJECT USED BY AN EMPEROR THAT EXCEPTIONALLY CAPTURES HIS LOVE FOR HIS PEOPLE AS SHOWN IN HIS ATTEMPT AT REFORM. IT IS A GREAT PRIVILEGE TO BE SELLING SUCH AN EXTRAORDINARY, FINE AND RARE SEAL.'
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