A seal (L) which belonged to Chinese Emperor Kanghi
© AFP/File Lionel Bonaventure TOULOUSE, France (AFP) - "It is a world record for a seal and a European record for a Chinese object," auctioneer Herve Chassaing told reporters after the sale in the southern French city of Toulouse.
The three kilogram (six-and-a-half pound) beige soapstone seal was one of 130 personal seals used by the emperor Kangxi, who ruled between 1662 and 1722.
Bearing six red calligraphic figures along with two dragons frolicking in the clouds, the seal is 14 centimetres long and 10 centimetres wide.
It was bought by an unnamed buyer or buyers from China bidding by telephone.
The starting price for the seal was 300,000 euros. The total price it fetched was 5.6 million euros including sales fees.
"Only the Chinese could offer such a price," said Chassaing.
"The Americans were interested, the museums as well but they could not put up so much money for an object, which for the Chinese is an integral part of their history."
Uptil now, the record sum for a Chinese seal was 4.25 million euros, bid for a jade imperial seal which went under the hammer in Hong Kong last year.
Kangxi's 61-year-rule makes him the longest-reigning Chinese emperor in history and one of the longest in the world.
He is considered one of the pivotal figures in Chinese history having defeated the Zheng Jing government on Taiwan which previously would not submit to Qing rule.
He expanded the Qing empire in the northwest and achieved such literary feats as the Kangxi Dictionary and ushered in long-term stability and relative wealth after years of war and chaos.
Asian art expert Pierre Ansas called the seal an "important historical object," saying the multi-talented emperor used it to sign "those works of calligraphy and paintings done by him which he held dear."
Ansas said what made the seal especially rare was that it was found in its original ivory-and-lacquer box and the fact that it was unusually large.
Auctioneer Chassaing found the object in the closet of a wealthy Toulouse family who were not aware of either its use or value.
Emperors of China, their families and officials used large seals usually made of jade, although hard woods and precious metals could sometimes be used.
Originally square in shape, they were changed to a rectangular form during the Song Dynasty, but reverted to square during the time of the Qings.
The seal had long disappeared from China but is now finally destined to return to its homeland.
©AFP