A Tianhuang seal carved by Zhao Zhichen (1781-1852). Estimate 8,000 — 12,000 USD. Photo Sotheby's.

of rectangular form, the seal face reading ZHU FEN JIAO DU (Proofread by Zhu Fen), the side is signed CI XIAN FANG HAN (Cixian emulating the Han style). Height  7/8  in., 0.9 cm

Notes: Cixian is the studio name of the famous artist and seal carver Zhao Zhichen (1781-1852). Zhao was a native of Qiantang (today's Hangzhou), the leader of the Zhe School carving tradition.  The seal was made for another known scholar Zhu Fen, from Haining, who was a collector of books and a publisher.   

A different signature is found on the top side of the seal: Long Shi, which is the studio name of another contemporary seal carver Yang Xie (born 1781). It may suggest that the earlier inscription by Yang was erased and the stone was reused for the current inscription.

Sotheby's. Inscriptions: History as Art New York, 17 mars 2015, 01:30 PM