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I would appreciate any help in identifying this object.

I look forward with anticipation to any comment that I. Nagy has to make about this object.

It is a seal, but its contents are quite extraordinary to me.

It would appear to be a rebus, a puzzle, a brain-bender.

There are apparently four characters, the last being the conventional Yin 印 for seal.

The first seems an amalgam of two characters, He 禾 which signifies a cereal crop, and Qian 千 which is the numeral for 1,000. But I can find no reference to a character combining these two elements.

The second contains the element Mei 美 meaning beautiful and kind, and Ting 亭 which is a word for a pavilion, enclosed between two shapes, which might represent water 水, a river 川, movement 行, or the two enclosing elements of the character Xiang 鄉, and again I can find no reference to a character combining these elements.

The third character is straightforward, although its significance escapes me. It is Yao 堯, which is the name of a legendary king of China.

Please, Mr Nagy, your comments and explanation.

It reads,
年𩱧堯印　-　Seal of Nián Gēngyáo
The 2nd and only problematic character is the alternativ form of 羹　gēng = soup 　　　　　　　　Upper part;(弓+羔+弓）Lower part; 鬲　＝　𩱧

Nian Gengyao was the most outstanding doorman (confidant) of Emperor Yongzheng

With regards,
I.Nagy

This piece is extremely interesting especially as part of my personal collection. My sincere thanks for you help and I will continue to research, and welcome, any additional historical information.
Sincerely.

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