Soapstone is a soft rock, that has been carved by the Chinese for centuries, and is still being carved today. The name derives from the soap-like feel that some of the softer grades of soapstone have.

The softness of the rock is due to talc in its composition, and the amount of talc can vary from 80% (very soft) to about 30%. On the Mohs scale of hardness, soapstone has a hardness of 1 to 5, whereas jade has a hardness of 6 to 6.5. It is often possible to scratch a piece of soapstone with a fingernail or knife blade.

Because of continuing production over several centuries, it can be difficult to date soapstone carvings, and there are many that were made for the tourist market.

Soapstone carvings are generally not expensive and the quality of the carving and the size and colouring of the soapstone contribute more...

45 items found:

These items have been sold, and the description, image and price are for reference purposes only.

A Chinese old soapstone seal, height 12.5 cm 3 x 3 cm

Chinese Soapstone Seal: Ancient Artifact of Cultural Significance

A Chinese old soapstone seal, height 12.5 cm 3 x 3 cm

A Chinese soapstone seal, 20th century, the square seal…

A Chinese soapstone seal, 20th century, the square seal surmounted by a Buddhist lion and cubs, the stone in mottled brick red and amber tones, uncut. Height 14 cm

A carved soapstone chilong seal, 20th century, the oval form…

A carved soapstone chilong seal, 20th century, the oval form seal surmounted by a reticulated chilong, engraved with script to one side and cut to the seal base, in brown and amber stone with opaque white Mottling. Height 5.5 cm, length 6.5 cm, width 4 cm

Two Chinese soapstone seals, qing Dynasty, late 19th and 20th…

Chinese Soapstone Seals from Qing Dynasty

Two Chinese soapstone seals, qing Dynasty, late 19th and 20th century comprising an amber soapstone seal in mellow amber tones, the small rectangular plinth surmounted by a curved handle, signed to the front, and a pale celadon small square seal with…

A large Chinese soapstone 'Landscape' seal, height 20 cm 14 cm…

Chinese Soapstone Landscape Seal

A large Chinese soapstone 'Landscape' seal, height 20 cm 14 cm x 13.5 cm

A collection of Chinese hardstone carvings, comprising an axe…

Chinese Hardstone Carvings Collection

A collection of Chinese hardstone carvings, comprising an axe head, four small jade and hardstone carvings, a soapstone seal, a lacquer snuff bottle and a wood stand, the axe head 27 cm long

A Chinese carved soapstone cylindrical seal, 20th century, the…

Chinese Carved Soapstone Seal with Foo Dogs

A Chinese carved soapstone cylindrical seal, 20th century, the mottled olive and beige seal with carved foo dogs atop a pierced and carved base, with raised seal marks to base, in a fitted case, height 12 cm

A pair of Chinese soapstone seals, height 50, 2 x 2 cm

Chinese Soapstone Seals: Pair of Exquisite Carvings

A pair of Chinese soapstone seals, height 50, 2 x 2 cm

A soapstone seal, 19th/20th century, of irregular upright form,…

Irregular Soapstone Seal with Carvings of Sages and Pavilion

A soapstone seal, 19th/20th century, of irregular upright form, the sides finely carved with two sages walking beneath a pine tree, and a rustic scene with a long bridge leading to a pavilion, a two-character inscription on one side, the caramel coloured…

Pair of Chinese carved temple dogs soapstone seals 16.5 cm…

Chinese Soapstone Temple Dog Seals (16.5 cm)

Pair of Chinese carved temple dogs soapstone seals 16.5 cm height

A soapstone seal, 19th/20th century, the rectangular base…

Caramel Soapstone Mythical Beast Seal

A soapstone seal, 19th/20th century, the rectangular base surmounted by a recumbent mythical beast, carved from a stone of caramel tone, 5.6 cm

A soapstone 'lion' seal, 3.9 cm high, 40g

Small Soapstone Lion Seal

A soapstone 'lion' seal, 3.9 cm high, 40g

A Chinese soapstone dragons seal, height 6.5 cm, 4 x 1.2 cm

Chinese Soapstone Dragon Seal - 6.5 cm Height

A Chinese soapstone dragons seal, height 6.5 cm, 4 x 1.2 cm

A soapstone seal, a deep orange toned rectangular plinth with…

Orange Soapstone Seal with Relief Marks and Signature

A soapstone seal, a deep orange toned rectangular plinth with seal marks in relief to one end, signed

A soapstone 'chi-dragon' seal, Attributed to Hu Jue (1840-1910)…

Hu Jue's Soapstone Chi-Dragon Seal

A soapstone 'chi-dragon' seal, Attributed to Hu Jue (1840-1910) 3.9 cm high, 54g

Pair of early 20th century Chinese soapstone uncarved chops,…

Chinese Soapstone Uncarved Chops Pair

Pair of early 20th century Chinese soapstone uncarved chops, height 18 cm

A Chinese soapstone seal, engraved with landscape and…

Chinese Landscape Seal with Calligraphy

A Chinese soapstone seal, engraved with landscape and calligraphy.

A large Chinese carved soapstone seal, the foo dog surmounting…

Chinese Soapstone Seal with Foo Dog Surmounting Temple Form

A large Chinese carved soapstone seal, the foo dog surmounting a temple type form, cut tablet base, chip to corner. Height 21 cm.

Two soapstone seals of square form, the tall column surmounted…

Qing Dynasty Soapstone Seals with Ram and Qilong Motifs

Two soapstone seals of square form, the tall column surmounted by a capital with ram heads, Qing Dynasty, 19th and 20th century, the other coiled with qilong [2], height 4 cm and 8 cm sq

A soapstone seal of oval form, the plain base surmounted by…

Amber Soapstone Seal with Birds and Flowers

A soapstone seal of oval form, the plain base surmounted by birds and flowers, carved in fine detail with the colour graduating colour from deep amber hue through to cream, height 5.5 cm, width 5.5 cm

Chinese carved soapstone seal, in the form of immortal seated…

Carved Chinese Soapstone Immortal Seal with Stand

Chinese carved soapstone seal, in the form of immortal seated by rocky outcrop with bottle, incised mark to back and seal to base, in tones of orange and brown, with wooden stand, height 8.5 cm (without stand)

A group of four soapstone seals, comprising one of rectangular…

Set of Four Soapstone Seals with Inscriptions

A group of four soapstone seals, comprising one of rectangular form surmounted by a recumbent mythical beast, and three of plain upright form, each with an incised inscription and seal characters on the face, fitted boxes, 3.5 cm, 4.8 cm, 5 cm, 4 cm long

Pair Chinese carved soapstone seals carved temple dog finials,…

Chinese Soapstone Seals with Temple Dog Finials

Pair Chinese carved soapstone seals carved temple dog finials, inscribed character marks to side of each, height 5 cm, each.

A soapstone 'mythical beast' seal, 19th/20th century, the…

Mythical Beast Soapstone Seal

A soapstone 'mythical beast' seal, 19th/20th century, the rectangular base surmounted by the crouching beast with head turned towards its hind quarters, with long mane and coiled tail, the front of the base with an inscription and the face carved with…

Chinese temple lion soapstone chop carved name '' Jera Chuilin…

Chinese Soapstone Lion Chop with Carved Name

Chinese temple lion soapstone chop carved name '' Jera Chuilin '' to to base, 12 cm height approx,

A Chinese soapstone seal, made by pan Xifeng, height 7.5 cm,…

Pan Xifeng's Soapstone Seal - 7.5cm x 3cm

A Chinese soapstone seal, made by pan Xifeng, height 7.5 cm, width 3 cm

A Chinese soapstone seal, Made by Nai Qing, height 4.5 cm,…

Chinese Soapstone Seal by Nai Qing

A Chinese soapstone seal, Made by Nai Qing, height 4.5 cm, width 3 cm

A Chinese soapstone seal, Made by Wu Dacheng, height 10 cm,…

Wu Dacheng's Chinese Soapstone Seal

A Chinese soapstone seal, Made by Wu Dacheng, height 10 cm, width 2.6 cm

A soapstone 'mythical beast' seal Qing dynasty, the square base…

Qing Dynasty Soapstone Mythical Beast Seal

A soapstone 'mythical beast' seal Qing dynasty, the square base surmounted by a winged lion-like animal supported on clouds, its head turned towards the cub crouched to one side, the details finely carved in the amber coloured stone. 6 cm high.

A Chinese soapstone square seal, 20th century, the knob carved…

Chinese Soapstone Square Seal with Chilong Dragons and Inscription

A Chinese soapstone square seal, 20th century, the knob carved with two chilong dragons, one side inscribed 'Gui Pu, Jia Qing Si Nian Wei Ren Qing Di Zhuan, Yi Bingshou', translated 'Yi Bing Shou carved this sealed for his brother in the fourth year of…

Three soapstone seals, (3), two of square section surmounted by…

Soapstone Seal Set with Buddhist Lions and Bamboo Cane Section

Three soapstone seals, (3), two of square section surmounted by Buddhist lions, the third carved as a section of a bamboo cane, each with an inscription on one side, (3), tallest 7 cm high

A soapstone elephant seal, the rectangular seal in deep…

Carved Soapstone Elephant Seal with Finial and Engravings

A soapstone elephant seal, the rectangular seal in deep chocolate and green tones, surmounted by a carved and pierced elephant finial, decorated to the plinth with engraved money symbols, carved script to one face and seal script to the base. Height 12 cm

Chinese soapstone chop 9.5 cm high approx

Chinese Soapstone Chop: 9.5cm High

Chinese soapstone chop 9.5 cm high approx

Three Chinese carved soapstone seals. Height 8 cm max

Chinese Soapstone Seal Trio

Three Chinese carved soapstone seals. Height 8 cm max

A Chinese carved soapstone seal, 11 cm high

Chinese Soapstone Seal Carving

A Chinese carved soapstone seal, 11 cm high

A Chinese carved soapstone calligraphy seal decorated with two…

Chinese Soapstone Calligraphy Seal with Double Seals

A Chinese carved soapstone calligraphy seal decorated with two seals and character marks. Height 3.2 cm x (5 x 5 cm)

Soapstone seal, 16 cm tall

16cm Soapstone Seal Sculpture

Soapstone seal, 16 cm tall

A group of three Chinese soapstone seals. Of plain rectangular…

Chinese Soapstone Seals Trio

A group of three Chinese soapstone seals. Of plain rectangular form and of differing sizes, each in beige tonings with incised or relief carved chops, well marked with red ink. Heights: 5 cm and 5.5 cm

Set of four Chinese calligraphy seals, 'The Four Seasons',…

"Four Seasons" Calligraphy Seal Set

Set of four Chinese calligraphy seals, 'The Four Seasons', decorated soapstone with patination. Length 10 cm

Chinese soapstone seal, height 12 cm. Provenance: Orlando Brown…

Chinese Soapstone Seal from Orlando Brown Collection

Chinese soapstone seal, height 12 cm. Provenance: Orlando Brown Collection, Mosman

Five Chinese soapstone seals

Chinese Soapstone Seal Collection

Five Chinese soapstone seals

A set of three Chinese soapstone seals, in rich umber and plum…

Chinese Soapstone Seals Depicting Immortals on Plinth Bases

A set of three Chinese soapstone seals, in rich umber and plum shadings and depicting three immortals, Fu, Lu and Shou with their attributes and seated upon rectangular plinth bases, each with inscribed characters to the front. Heights: 7 cm, 7.5 cm. and…

A set of twelve Chinese Zodiac seals, 20th century, the…

Chinese Zodiac Soapstone Seals Set

A set of twelve Chinese Zodiac seals, 20th century, the ornamental soapstone seals in various shades of ochre. Depicting all the signs of the zodiac atop plain squared columns, average height 9 cm. Width 3 cm. Depth 3 cm

A Chinese red brown soapstone seal, a lion clambering up a…

Lion Soapstone Seal on Rocky Landscape

A Chinese red brown soapstone seal, a lion clambering up a rocky landscape atop a square plinth. Height 8 cm. Width 4 cm. Depth 4 cm

A Chinese yellow soapstone seal, a seated lion atop a pedestal…

Yellow Soapstone Lion Seal on Pedestal Base

A Chinese yellow soapstone seal, a seated lion atop a pedestal base incised with foliate designs. Height 9.5 cm. Width 5 cm. Depth 5 cm