Qing Dynasty, 3rd year of Xianfeng period(1853)

Silver seal

Height 10cm, length 10.5cm, width 10.5cm

This seal has a square face with broad edges. Both Manchu script and Chinese characters are engraved onto it in relief. There are three different styles of script: Manchu seal script on the left, Manchu clerical script in the centre, and small seal script of Chinese characters on the right. The Chinese text includes eight characters in two columns, which read "Seal of Military and Provincial Governor of Hubei". The back is cast with a tiger-shaped knob on a three-tiered platform. This was the official seal of Xiang Rong, Military Commander of Hubei, conferred upon him by the Qing Dynasty government. There are very few surviving silver official seals from the Qing Dynasty, making this object extremely precious, and a highly valued historical source for research on recent Chinese history.