A spinach-green jade 'twin fish' brush washerLate Qing DynastyThe flattened circular vessel with shallow rounded sides rising to a slightly lipped rim, the interior carved in low-relief with a pair of fish, the stone of a variegated olive-green tone with black flecks. 17cm (6 3/4in) diam.Footnotes:清晚期 碧玉雙魚洗Provenance: a European private collection來源：歐洲私人收藏This brush washer was fashioned from a spinach-green jade boulder of striking translucency and depth of colour, skilfully enhanced by the low-relief carving of two fish. The natural variegated hues of the stone were cleverly incorporated into the design, thus making the fish appear as if swimming in deep water. On this bowl the use of fish (yu 魚) represents abundance (yu 餘). Fish swimming in water is associated with the phrase ru yu de shui (like a fish getting to water) which can also represent a harmonious marriage yu shui he xie (agreeing like fish and water).For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
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A spinach-green jade tripod incense burner and coverQianlong Superbly carved, the compressed globular body carved on each side with a taotie mask in low relief separated by notched flanges, reserved on a dense and intricately incised leiwen ground, flanked by a pair of S-shaped handles, supported on three separately carved short lotus feet, the domed cover with gently rounded sides similarly carved with taotie masks, surmounted by a large circular finial reticulated with a coiled dragon amidst scrolling clouds, the stone of dark-green tone with dark striations. 18.1cm (7 1/8in) wide (2).Footnotes:清乾隆 碧玉雕獸面紋三足出戟蓋爐Provenance: a Swiss private collection來源：瑞士私人收藏Inspired by the shape and decoration of archaic bronze gui food vessels of the Zhou dynasty, the present vessel is a fine example of the stylistic developments during the 18th century inspired by the wishes of the Qianlong emperor. Aiming to 'restore the ancient ways', the emperor wished to reinstate the intrinsic qualities of simplicity, sincerity and happy exuberance of the ancient cultures. For this purpose, the emperor instructed the Court to collect drawings of antiquities, such as the 'Catalogue of Xiqing Antiquities' (Xi Qing Gu Jian 西清古鑑), which served as sources of designs for the production of contemporary vessels. See Chang Li-tuan, The Refined Taste of the Emperor: Special Exhibition of Archaic and Pictorial Jades of the Ch'ing Court, Taipei, 1997, pp.49-50.Compare with a related spinach-green jade tripod incense burner and cover, Qianlong, said to have come from the Summer Palace, Beijing, illustrated by S.C.Nott, Chinese Jade throughout the Ages, Rutland, 1971, pl.CXVIII; see also a related spinach-green jade incense burner and cover, Qianlong, illustrated by R.Keverne, ed., Jade, London, 1992, p.163, fig.89.A related spinach-green jade incense burner and cover, Qianlong, was sold at Bonhams London, 11 May 2017, lot 237.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
An archaistic jadeite incense burner and cover, fangdingQing DynastyOf tapering rectangular section, carved on each main side with a taotie mask, supported on four slightly spreading legs decorated at the upper register with a stylised bird, flanked by a pair of tall flared rectangular handles, surmounted by a trapezoidal cover similarly decorated with masks, with a chrysanthemum shaped hollowed finial, the stone of greenish-chestnut tone. 11cm (4 5/16in) wide (2).Footnotes:清 翡翠仿古饕餮紋方鼎Provenance: a Spanish private collection, and thence by descent來源：西班牙私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A soapstone brushpot, bitong17th/18th century Sturdily carved imitating a gnarled tree-trunk issuing a branch of pine, and two sprays of auspicious lingzhi fungus, the stone of mottled grey, black and white tone. 12.5cm (4 3/4in) high.Footnotes:十七/十八世紀 壽山石松樹樁式筆筒Provenance: an important European private collection, and thence by descent來源：重要歐洲私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今See a similar soapstone brushpot, from the collection of S.D.Winkworth, illustrated in the International Exhibition of Chinese Art, Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1935-1936, no.2893; and another, from the collection of George de Menasce, illustrated in The Minor Arts of China II, London, 1985, pl.180.Compare with a similar soapstone brushpot, 17th/18th century, which was sold at Sotheby's London, 9 November 2018, lot 357.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A mottled pale green jade sceptre, ruyiLate Qing Dynasty/Republic PeriodElegantly carved as a slender curved shaft leading up to a lobed terminal, the head deftly carved in low relief with fruiting peaches borne on gnarled branches with a pair of auspicious bats, the shaft further carved in low relief with floral sprays, the smoothly-polished stone of mottled pale greenish-grey tone, glass display case and stand. 42cm (16 1/2in) long. (3).Footnotes:清晚期/民國 青白玉雕桃蝠紋如意Provenance: an English private collection來源：英國私人收藏For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A large and rare white jade 'nine phoenix' hairpinQing DynastyThe hairpin carved on one side in openwork with alternating phoenixes amongst floral scrolls, the reverse undecorated, with a floral form on one end, the stone of an even white tone with very minor opaque white inclusions. 31cm (12 1/4in) long.Footnotes:清 白玉鏤空雕鳳紋扁方Provenance: a distinguished English private collection來源：英國顯赫私人收藏The carving of nine phoenixes on the present lot indicates it was made for a very high-ranking lady of the Imperial family. This type of hairpin, bianfang in Manchu, was used by Court ladies during the Qing dynasty. Compare with three related jade hairpins illustrated in the Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade 9 Qing Dynasty, Beijing, 2011, nos.267, 268 and 282.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A white jade 'fisherman and pavilion' snuff bottle18th/19th centuryWell hollowed, the ovoid bottle finely carved in low relief with a continuous scene of a fisherman in a mountainous river landscape beside a pine tree, the other side with a thatched pavilion under a pine tree, the stone of even white tone with minute cloud-white inclusions, with stopper. 5.2cm (2in) high. (2).Footnotes:十八/十九世紀 白玉雕垂釣圖鼻煙壺Provenance: an English private collection, and thence by descent來源：英國私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A white jade 'cicada' snuff bottle18th/19th centuryWell-hollowed, naturalistically carved in the form of a cicada with protruding eyes, the body detailed with veined and dotted wings, the underside with finely carved legs around the defined exoskeleton, the stone of white tone with very minor faint russet veining, coral stopper. 6.5cm (2 9/16in) long (2).Footnotes:十八/十九世紀 白玉蟬形鼻煙壺Provenance: an English private collection, and thence by descent來源：英國私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: YY Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Three white and pale green jade snuff bottles18th/19th centuryAll well hollowed, the first of ovoid form, carved in relief on either side with a pair of monster-mask loop handles, the stone of even white tone with very minor white inclusions, jade stopper, 5.7cm (2 1/4in) high; the second, of moonflask form, carved in relief with nandina, the reverse with a lingzhi fungus spray, the stone of white tone with very minor russet and white inclusions, 4.8cm (1 7/8in) high; the third, of flattened ovoid form, plainly carved, the stone of even very pale green tone, hardstone stopper, 5cm (2in) high (5).Footnotes:十八/十九世紀 白玉及青白玉雕鼻煙壺 一組三件Provenance: an English private collection, and thence by descent來源：英國私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Three pale green jade snuff bottles18th/19th centuryComprising a bottle carved in low relief with a stag beside lingzhi fungus below a gnarled pine tree, the stone of pale green tone with minor russet veins, malachite stopper, 7cm (2 3/4in) high; a cylindrical bottle carved in low relief on either side with bamboo, the stone of pale green tone with minor white inclusions, 5.2cm (2 1/16in) high, malachite stopper; and a basket-weave bottle, the stone of pale green tone with minor white inclusions, green glass stopper, 5.7cm (2 1/4in) high. (6).Footnotes:十八/十九世紀 青玉雕鼻煙壺 一組三件Provenance: an English private collection, and thence by descent來源：英國私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Three white and pale green jade rectangular snuff bottles18th/19th centuryAll well hollowed, the first with canted corners, of white tone with very minor white veining, jadeite stopper, 4.6cm (1 13/16in) high; the second of similar but taller canted rectangular form, the stone of pale green tone, jadeite stopper, 5.9cm (2 3/8in) high; the third carved with inscriptions on each side, with one reading 甲辰春 妙香館書 which may be translated as: 'Miaoxiang guan [hall name] inscribed in the spring of the jiachen year', probably corresponding to 1844, the stone of lustrous white tone, jadeite stopper, 6.3cm (2 1/2in) high (6).Footnotes:十八/十九世紀 白玉及青白玉雕方形鼻煙壺 一組三件Provenance: an English private collection, and thence by descent來源：英國私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Lin Fengmian (1900-1991)The TrackersInk and colour on paper depicting two ladies carrying baskets on their backs, signed at the top left corner, framed and glazed. 70.5cm (27 3/4in) high 39.5cm (15 1/2in) wide (2).Footnotes:林風眠 採茶農婦 紙本設色 鏡框裝裱Provenance: an English private collection來源：英國私人收藏Lin Fengmian, a native of Meixian, Guangdong Province, is one of 20th century China's most important artists. His grandfather was a stone carver, his father a local painter. Lin learned both trades during his childhood and in 1919 travelled to France for six years to study and work at Dijon Art College and the Ecole Nationale Superieure de Beaux-Arts in Paris. In France, Lin studied European painting, especially works by Matisse Picasso, and Modigliani. In 1923 he travelled widely in Germany. In 1979, he settled in Hong Kong, where he lived out his life. Lin's work integrated the Impressionists' technique of working with outdoor lighting with ink and wash and successfully blended Western principles of composition with figure sketches using Chinese colour and ink. See Three Thousand Years of Chinese Painting, New Haven, 1997, pp.323-324.Compare with a related painting of trackers by Lin Fengmian, which was sold at Bonhams London, 17 May 2018, lot 307.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A large limestone Buddhist steleEastern Wei Dynasty or later The stele of pointed arched form, carved in high relief with a figure of Shakyamuni Buddha standing in the centre flanked by two bodhisattvas, his right hand raised in the peace-giving gesture abhaya mudra, the left lowered to his side, clad in long and thin robes falling over the shoulders and looping across the body in multiple folds, the head framed by a circular halo decorated with multiple whorls, all beneath a smaller seated figure of Amithaba Buddha flanked by six flying apsaras, stand. 96cm high (37 6/8in) high (2).Footnotes:東魏或更晚 背屏式佛菩薩三尊造像Provenance: Nakanishi Bunzo, Kyoto, possibly by inheritance from his father Nakanishi Bunzo, who was chief assistant at the Kyoto branch of Yamanaka & Co., by reputeJames Freeman, KyotoAn important American private collection, acquired from the above in 2002來源：傳為日本京都Nakanishi Bunzo舊藏，或繼承自其父，原山中商會京都分部首席助理，Nakanishi Bunzo日本京都James Freeman舊藏重要美國私人收藏，於2002年購自前者Richly carved with a vibrant scene of veneration, encapsulating Buddhist compassion and celestial quality, the present carving encapsulates the emergence of stone steles as an important Buddhist sculptural medium in Chinese history. Holding his right hand in abhaya mudra, signifying reassurance, the Buddha conveys to the worshippers that they may receive the divine blessings. According to the 'Lotus Sutra', the apsaras are the protectors of the Buddha and of doctrine. These creatures were frequently portrayed in Buddhist cave temples from at least 420 and grew in popularity during the late Northern Wei and Eastern Wei periods. See The Return of the Buddha: The Qingzhou Discoveries, London, 2002, p.84.The origins of Buddhist steles are traceable to two major historical events, both documented at the Buddhist cave temple sites of Yungang and Longmen (386-534), which occurred during the last two decades of the fifth century: the emergence of Buddhist devotional societies and the first espousal of tablets for Buddhist use. See D.C.Wong, Chinese Steles. Pre-Buddhist and Buddhist Use of a Symbolic Form, Honolulu, 2004, p.43.Steles played an important role in the development of regional religious art. During the Northern Wei dynasty, state-sponsorship of Buddhism enabled the rapid spread of the religion throughout Northern China. At this time, Buddhist voluntary groups affiliated to local temples and organised by laymen became the main patrons of Buddhist steles which commemorated the group's religious, social, and territorial identity. The relative ubiquity of the medium employed to manufacture steles, and their small size, prompted a multitude of regional workshops, many of which developed their own style using the monumental cave temple carvings as a basis. Compare the stylistic features of the present stele with a related one, dated by inscription to the Eastern Wei (534-550), from the Cleveland Museum, of Art, Ohio, illustrated in J.A MacLean, 'A Buddhist Trinity', in The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art, vol.11, no.3, 1914, pp.2-3. Similarities can be noted in the serene expressions of the figures, fullness of their bodies and style of drapery as well as the modelling of the apsaras flying above the central figures.A related inscribed limestone Buddhist stele, Eastern Wei dynasty, was sold at Sotheby's New York, 20 March 2018, lot 202.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TPTP Lots denoted with a 'TP' will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A very rare grey limestone head of Buddha ShakyamuniTang Dynasty, Longmen Caves, 7th century ADThe smoothly carved face with meditative expression, the heavily lidded eyes down-cast beneath elegantly arched brows, the straight nose above gently curving lips, the hair carved as wavy curls, all between long pendulous ears, the stone of dark-grey tone, wood plinth stand. 38cm (15in) high. (2).Footnotes:唐，七世紀 龍門石雕釋迦牟尼佛首像Provenance: a French private collectionChristie's Paris, 7 June 2011, lot 346A UK private collection來源：法國私人收藏巴黎佳士得，2011年6月7日，拍品編號346英國私人收藏This large and strongly carved head bears features from the transitional phase of development at the grottoes of Longmen, as the site activity resumed after a long hiatus following the fall of the Northern Wei dynasty. Official sponsorship and further expansion began with renewed energy at the end of the Northern Qi to the early Tang period, and indeed, the present head shows stylistic traces inherited from the early Tang sculptural experimentation. The shallow carving of the eyes, whose lids emerge in low-relief bowed lines from small rounded inner canthi, are similar to the large heads from that site.The Southern Binyang Cave (Cave 159), begun in the Daye reign of the Sui dynasty, was expanded during the reigns of Taizong and Gaozong during the Tang dynasty, and completed by AD 641. The monumental chief pentad of Amitabha flanked by Ananda, Kasyapa and two bodhisattvas in the Southern Binyang Cave all have large open eyelids within squared faces with thicker flatter lips. See Complete Works of Statues in Longmen Grottoes, vol.1: Binyang Cave, Beijing, 2002, fig.273. As such, the present head seems to be related in proportion to the heads of the Buddhas within the larger niches of the flanking walls. Compare fig.288, the large right bodhisattva on the back wall, fig.317, the central Buddha in niche 13, the largest niche on the left wall, and fig.467, the central Buddha in niche 51, the largest niche on the right wall.Two Longmen heads with triple-spiralled hair in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, are also related to the present head. See Longmen Liusang Diaoxiang Ji, 'The Lost Statues at Longmen Caves', Shanghai, 1993, figs.47 and 63, and Hai-Wai Yi-Chen, Chinese Art in Overseas Collections, Buddhist Sculpture II., Taipei, 1990, figs.59 and 114.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A large scholar's rock on a rootwood standQing DynastyThe stone with an irregular structure and punctuated with a large opening, of brownish-grey tone, with gnarled rootwood stand. 81cm (31 7/8in) high. (2).Footnotes:清 賞石連癭木座The collecting and connoisseurship of extraordinary shaped rocks has a long and compelling history in Chinese aesthetic culture. Throughout the centuries both emperors and the scholar-elite have considered the rocks' unusual forms worthy of contemplation in both an exterior garden setting as well as inside the home. Enjoyed for their dynamic shapes that could be judged with similar criteria used for calligraphy — traditionally the highest art form in China - or appreciated for their resemblance to lofty mountains or coiled dragons, fantastic rocks (guaishi) were prized for their abstract qualities as well as their inspiration for imagination.Compare with a related Lingbi rock with one perforation, Ming dynasty, with Southern openwork style stand, illustrated in Worlds Within Worlds: The Richard Rosenblum Collection of Chinese Scholars' Rocks, Cambridge MA, 1999, p.162.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TPTP Lots denoted with a 'TP' will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A dreamstone huanghuali-framed screenQing DynastyThe stone smoothly polished and naturally coloured with tones of beige, grey and orange, speckled with crystalline areas and inclusions, set within a huanghuali frame and stand. 84cm (33in) wide. (2).Footnotes:清 黃花梨嵌雲石座屏This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: YY Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A 'chicken-bone' jade 'chilong' cupMing DynastyThe deep rounded cup smoothly carved, a large chilong with bifurcated tail biting the rim and forming the curved handle, a smaller chilong carved in low in relief on the side, the stone of buff-mushroom tone. 10.5cm (4 1/8in) long.Footnotes:明 雞骨玉雕螭龍柄小盃Provenance: an English private collection, and thence by descent. The collection was formed by the grandfather of the former owner who was the Assistant Commissioner, Shanghai Municipal Police, 1919-1928. His father was a Protestant missionary in China. The family returned to England shortly after the Second World War.來源：英國私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今。本拍品前任藏家之祖父曾於1919至1928年任上海公共租界工部局警務處副官，其父為一名新教傳教士；第二次世界大戰爆發後，舉家回到英格蘭。Compare with a related green jade cup with a chilong handle, Ming dynasty, in the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in the Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum, Beijing, 2011, p.179, no.162.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A pale green and russet jade 'bamboo' vaseMid Qing DynastyCrisply carved as a hollow bamboo trunk with naturalistically-grooved nodes and issuing leafy branches, flanked by a pheasant perched on high rockwork, the stone of pale-green tone with reddish-brown russet patches, box. 14.2cm (5 5/8in) high. (2).Footnotes:清中期 青白玉帶皮仿竹節形瓶Provenance: an English private collection, and thence by descent. The collection was formed by the grandfather of the former owner who was the Assistant Commissioner, Shanghai Municipal Police, 1919-1928. His father was a Protestant missionary in China. The family returned to England shortly after the Second World War.來源：英國私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今。本拍品前任藏家之祖父曾於1919至1928年任上海公共租界工部局警務處副官，其父為一名新教傳教士；第二次世界大戰爆發後，舉家回到英格蘭。Compare with a related jade vase with bamboo and phoenix, Qing dynasty, illustrated in the Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade, 8, Beijing, 2011, p.223, no.181.See also a pale green jade bamboo-shaped 'phoenix' vase, 18th century, which was sold at Bonhams London, 17 May 2018, lot 166.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A huanghuali and hongmu wine table, jiuzhuo17th centuryThe two-panel top set within a rectangular frame with moulded edge above plain aprons and spandrels. The whole is supported on thick legs of rounded section joined by pairs of stretchers, with sections of the apron probably later additions. 63.5cm (25 1/8in) high x 66.9cm wide (26 2/8in) x 26.7cm (10 1/2in) deepFootnotes:十七世紀 黃花梨紅木酒桌Provenance: an English private collection, and thence by descentThe collection was formed by the grandfather of the former owner who was the Assistant Commissioner, Shanghai Municipal Police, 1919-1928. His father was a Protestant missionary in China. The family returned to England shortly after the Second World War.來源：英國私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今。本拍品前任藏家之祖父曾於1919至1928年任上海公共租界工部局警務處副官，其父為一名新教傳教士；第二次世界大戰爆發後，舉家回到英格蘭。Notable for the subtle elegance of its form and the beautiful graining of the wood, the present table is a remarkable example of its own type. Due to the heavy use of jiuzhuo tables, which were lighter than other types and used for a variety of purposes, such as writing, displaying objects and even dining, more durable materials, such as stone or less luxurious types of wood, were normally used as work surfaces. See for example, a small serpentine-inlaid huanghuali wine table illustrated by Wang Shixiang and C.Evarts, Masterpieces from the Museum of Classical Chinese Furniture, Chicago and San Francisco, 1995, pp.94-95, no.44. For a discussion of wine tables see Wang Shixiang, Connoisseurship of Chinese Furniture: Ming and Early Qing Dynasties, vol.1, Hong Kong, 1990, pp. 54-56.Compare with a related huanghuali wine table, 17th century, which was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 7 April 2014, lot 3629; a larger huanghuali wine table, 17th century, was sold at Christie's New York, 16 September 2016, lot 1205.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TP YTP Lots denoted with a 'TP' will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.Y Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A rare eight-leaf double-sided 'coromandel' 'boys at play' lacquer screenKangxiExquisitely decorated on the front with a detailed scene of fifty boys at play within a garden setting, each engaged in various leisurely activities such as waving dragon banners, riding a hobby-horse, playing with dogs or playing kickball, all framed by a border of various floral sprays and the 'Hundred Antiques', the reverse with numerous cartouches containing typical subjects of literati painting such as birds and flowers and mountainous landscapes with figures. Each leaf 230cm (90 1/2in) high x 42cm (16 1/2in) wide (8).Footnotes:清康熙 款彩嬰戲圖雙面八開圍屏Provenance: a distinguished English private collection, acquired prior to the 1950s, and thence by descent來源：英國顯赫私人收藏，購於二十世紀五十年代，並由後人保存迄今Although the term 'Coromandel', referring to a section of the east coast of India, implies that these screens were typically made for the export market (European traders misunderstood the origin of these screens), the present lot was almost certainly made for the domestic market in China. The motif of 'One hundred boys' or 'boys at play' is a popular motif in Chinese art and encapsulates the good Confucian wish for numerous descendants to continue worshipping the ancestors. The 'one hundred boys' motif is perhaps based on the legend of King Wen of Zhou who supposedly fathered 99 sons from his 24 wives, and adopted an orphan boy to accomplish 100. The figure of 100 should not be taken literally, but indicates a large number. The motif was already found on stone carvings of the Han dynasty and in paintings of the Jin (265-420) and Tang (618-906) dynasties. It became popular in the Song dynasty with painters such as Su Hanchen (1127-1189) and Li Song (1166-1243) but it was most widely seen in the Ming and Qing periods, notably on ceramics, textiles or lacquer. Compare for example, the painting of children on a blue and white jar, Jiajing six-character mark and of the period, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Blue and White Porcelain with Underglaze Red (II), Hong Kong, 2000, no.101. The treatment of the boys in the present lot owes much to the Ming style of depicting boys, and would indicate a late 17th century date. Compare with two twelve-leaf coromandel screens, Kangxi, with similar motifs of 'boys at play' illustrated by W.De Kesel and G.Dhont, Coromandel Lacquer Screens, Ghent, 2002, pp.54, 56-57.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TPTP Lots denoted with a 'TP' will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A pair of huanghuali horseshoe-back chairsQing Dynasty Each with a rectangular seat supporting a slightly curved splat carved in low relief with a lobed panel depicting a bat suspending a tasselled chime, beneath the horseshoe-shaped back carved in the centre with a further bat, resting on curved supports forming the arms and extending through the seat into the straight rail legs, the aprons at the front and sides carved with ruyi scrolls and the legs joined above the feet with four stretchers.Each 108cm (42 1/2in) high x 62cm (24 1/2in) wide x 48cm (18 7/8in) deep (2).Footnotes:清 黃花梨福磬紋圈椅成對The present pair of huanghuali chairs is a direct continuation of late Ming/ early Qing dynasty horseshoe-back chairs; for a related carving on the back splat, see a huanghuali chair, Qianlong, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Furniture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Beijing, 2007, pl.58. For a similarly carved apron on a zitan armchair, 18th/19th century, see C.Evarts, Splendor of Style: Classical Furniture from the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Taipei, 1999, p.88.The decoration on the present lot is highly auspicious. The bat (fu 蝠) is a homophone for 'good fortune' (fu 福). Furthermore, the musical stone or chime (qing 磬) is a homophone with 'high ranking official (qing 卿) and 'celebration' (qing 庆). Thus the bat and chime together symbolise wealth and prosperity.Compare with a related pair of huanghuali chairs which was sold at Bonhams London, 14 May 2015, lot 284.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TP YTP Lots denoted with a 'TP' will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.Y Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A rare pale green and russet jade chilong-handled cupMing DynastyExpertly carved with deep rounded sides, supported on splayed foot, the sides with a pair of loop handles with entwining, writhing chilong, the exterior of the cup carved in low-relief with archaistic taotie masks beneath a band of raised studs interspersed with roundels, recessed base further carved with curling C-scrolls, the stone of pale green tone with light russet patches, huanghuali stand. 10.8cm (4 3/8in) wide (2).Footnotes:明 青白玉帶皮螭龍柄盃Provenance: a Swiss private collection來源：瑞士私人收藏The archaistic motif on the present lot reflects the scholarly trend of the 'search for evidence' (kaozheng 考證) movement beginning in the early 17th century. Although this movement originated in a renewed scholarly interest in ancient texts and inscriptions on archaic bronzes, as literati sought a more empirical approach to understanding their ancient heritage, it led to a greater fascination for decorative designs adopted from ancient bronzes too.Several jade cups with chilong handles and archaistic designs, Ming dynasty, are illustrated in the Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade, 7, Beijing, 2011, nos.138, 148.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * Y* VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.Y Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A rare pale green jade quatrelobed 'lotus' shaped brush washer17th centuryThe vessel delicately carved with four fleshy lobed petals with everted rim and pointed leaves, rising from four small shaped feet, the interior crisply carved with four sharp ridges designed to easily clean the brush, the transluscent stone of pale green tone with dark grey-brown striations, huanghuali stand. 12cm (4 3/4in) long (2).Footnotes:十七世紀 青白玉雕倭角海棠式洗Provenance: a Swiss private collection來源：瑞士私人收藏Brush washers were important accompaniments to any scholar's desk. They were used to not only clean the brush but to also add water to an inked brush for toning. The sharp edges in the interior of the brush washer was not merely decorative but also utilitarian in allowing the brush to be cleaned against raised ridge and also 'pointed'.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * Y* VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.Y Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A pale green jade two-handled 'prunus' cupMing DynastySmoothly carved with deep rounded sides, supported on a short slightly tapered foot ring, each side with a high-relief carving of gnarled prunus branches each with a flowering blossom, the stone of pale green tone with brown-grey patches, huanghuali stand. 12cm (4 3/4in) wide (2).Footnotes:明 青白玉雕梅紋耳盃Provenance: a Swiss private collection來源：瑞士私人收藏See a related white jade cup with flower-shaped handles, Ming dynasty, illustrated in the Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade, 7, Beijing, 2011, p.162, no.142. Compare with a similar pale green jade two handled 'prunus' cup, with chilong, Ming dynasty, which was sold at Bonhams Hong Kong, 28 May 2019, lot 15.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * Y* VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.Y Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A very rare pale green jade Imperial-inscribed 'tea of three purities' tea bowl and coverQianlong four-character mark and of the periodThe translucent jade expertly carved with deep rounded sides to a flaring rim from a short straight foot, incised and gilt around the exterior with a poem composed by the Qianlong emperor that ends with a Bingyin cyclical date (corresponding to 1746) and followed by two seals, Qian and Long, all enclosed between two borders of ruyi-heads, the domed cover similarly incised with the same text, the semi-transparent stone with frost-like inclusions, zitan stand. 11.2cm (4 3/8in) diam. (3).Footnotes:清乾隆 御製青白玉刻「三清茶」詩蓋盌「乾隆年製」隸書刻款Provenance: a Swiss private collection來源：瑞士私人收藏It is rare to find inscribed jade tea bowls, as a number of these were usually made of porcelain, either decorated in underglaze blue or iron red. Compare with two porcelain bowls similarly decorated, the first in the collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated in Empty Vessels, Replenished Minds: The Culture, Practice and Art of Tea, Taipei, 2002, p.152, no.129; and another also in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated in Emperor Qianlong's Grand Cultural Enterprise, Taipei, 2002, p.51, no.I-40.The poem on the current bowl, Sanqing cha (三清茶), 'Tea of Three Purities', was composed by the Qianlong Emperor. It has been mentioned that the Qianlong emperor was an avid drinker of tea, and in the 11th year of his reign (1746) on his return from visiting Mount Wutai, Shanxi Province, his entourage sojourned to make tea using fallen snow. In the brew, as well as Longjing tea leaves, were the three additions of prunus, pine nut kernels and finger citrus. It was this concoction that inspired the emperor to compose the present poem 'Tea of Three Purities'.The poems on the cover and body are the same and were published in Yuzhishi chuji (Imperial Poems I) (1736-1747). Following the poem, the bowl and cover are inscribed Qianlong bingyin xiaochun yuti, 'inscribed in October of the Bingyin year of Qianlong' corresponding to 1746, following two seals, Qian long. The subject of the poem confirms that this bowl and cover was used specifically for drinking tea.Compare with a related white jade tea bowl and cover, Qianlong six-character seal mark and of the period, with the same poem, which was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 26 November 2014, lot 2931.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A fine and rare pale green jade lotus and chilong water dropper18th centuryThe jade pebble expertly hollowed and carved as a fleshy, curling lotus leaf with finely incised veins and undulating rim, borne on a curving lotus stem acting as a handle, the side of the leaf with a clambering chilong peering inside, the stone of even pale-green tone, zitan wood stand. 10.7cm (4 1/8in) long. (2).Footnotes:十八世紀 青白玉雕蓮葉式水滴Provenance: a Swiss private collection來源：瑞士私人收藏Compare with two related white jade water droppers in the form of lotus leaves, in the Qing Court Collection, Qing dynasty, illustrated in Small Refined Articles of the Study: The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Shenzhen, 2009, p.130, nos.101 and 102.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A very fine white jade incense-tool vaseQianlong Deftly carved rising from a short splayed foot to an ovoid body surmounted by a long tapering, cylindrical neck with galleried rim, the body exquisitely carved in low-relief around the exterior with archaistic designs of confronted stylised chilong, the stone of even pale white tone, wood stand. 11.2cm (4 1/2in) high (2).Footnotes:清乾隆 白玉雕仿古螭龍紋香插Provenance: a Swiss private collection來源：瑞士私人收藏Incense-tool vases would be used to contain implements such as metal chopsticks and spatula which would have been used to prepare incense on sand contained in an incense burner. In contrast to much Chinese jade carving in the 18th century, which was characterised by decorative high-relief carving, the Qianlong emperor commissioned a large number of jades which were inspired by the forms and designs of antiquity. Jade carvers were encouraged to move away from the 'new style' by studying archaic bronze vessels in the Qing Court Collection or in illustrated woodblock prints, and adapting them to the medium of jade. Inspired in its decoration by archaic bronzes, the present lot epitomises this trend. See for example, a related white jade incense tool vase with archaistic taotie pattern, but with a pair of handles, Qing dynasty, illustrated in the Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade, 10, Beijing, 2011, p.149.Compare with a slightly larger (14.5cm high) white jade archaistic bottle vase, Qianlong, which was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 8 April 2010, lot 1882.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * Y* VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.Y Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A very pale green jade floral shaped cup-standQianlong Deftly carved as a large flower head with eight petals radiating from a central slightly raised centre with furled petals centred by a stamen, the petals with finely incised veins, the thin translucent stone of even pale green tone, hongmu stand. 15cm (5 7/8in) diam (2).Footnotes:清乾隆 青白玉雕疊瓣蓮花式盞托Provenance: a Swiss private collection來源：瑞士私人收藏The elegant curvilinear design of the petals as well as the skilful carving of the thin jade can be attributed to the influence of Mughal jades which were popular at court during the reign of the Qianlong emperor; see a Mughal jade floral tray, Qianlong, illustrated in Exquisite Beauty: Islamic Jades, Taipei, 2007, p.80, no.75.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * Y* VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.Y Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A pair of white jade Mughal style 'chrysanthemum' dishesQianlong/JiaqingEach of oval form, crisply carved to the interiors with radiating chrysanthemum petals radiating outwards towards the rims, the exterior of one dish carved with finger citrons, the other carved with three of the bajixiang, the translucent stone of pale white tone, fitted box. Each 12cm (4 3/4in) long (3).Footnotes:清乾隆/嘉慶 痕都斯坦式白玉菊瓣盤一對Provenance: a Swiss private collection來源：瑞士私人收藏See a very similar white jade chrysanthemum petalled dish, carved with two peaches on the base, Qing dynasty, in the National Museum of History, Taipei, illustrated in The Jade-Carving Art in the Ch'ing Dynasty, Taipei, 1990, p.31.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
three archaistic jade cups16th/17th centuryComprising two archaistic two-handled cups, the first carved with a band of raised circular bosses on the body, both handles decorated with ruyi-head and geometric patterns, the stone of brownish-green tone with creamy white and russet flecks and inclusions, 13cm (5 3/4in) wide; the second decorated with a band of raised circular bosses below taotie masks and archaistic patterns, the handles carved on the flat tops with a taotie mask, the stone of a pale green tone with some russet veining, 12.7cm (5in) wide; the third vessel carved with two taotie masks below a key-fret border at the rim, separated by a handle issuing from a taotie mouth, 5.4cm (2 1/8in) diam. (3).Footnotes:十六/十七世紀 玉雕小盌一組三件Provenance: an important European private collection, and thence by descent來源：重要歐洲私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A fine pale green and grey jade 'chilong' cupMing DynastyThe cup with deep rounded sides and key-fret border on the rim, rising from a short stepped foot, clambered up by three writhing archaistic chilong with bifurcated tails, their heads resting on the lip of the cup forming loop handles, the stone of pale green tone with greyish patches, wood stand and box. 11.6cm (4 5/8in) wide. (3).Footnotes:明 青玉雕螭龍柄盃Provenance: d'Arcy Arthur Baker-Carr (1908 - 1985), and thence by descent來源：d'Arcy Arthur Baker-Carr（1908 - 1985）舊藏，並由後人保存迄今See a similar jade cup with three chilong handles, Ming dynasty, illustrated in Zhongguo guojia bowuguancang wenwu yanjiu congshu: Yuqi juan, Shanghai, 2007 no.215. Another jade cup with three dragons, Ming dynasty, 16th/17th century, is in the Cleveland Museum of Art, illustrated by C.Y.Watt, Chinese Jades from Han to Ch'ing, New York, 1980, p.165, no.139. A related jade cup with chilong exhibited as no.326 in the exhibition Chinese Jade Throughout the Ages was lent by the Musée Guimet, no.MR 204-585. It is also interesting to note that a related jade cup with chilong found favour in the Islamic world and was presented by Shah Abbas I to the Ardebil Shrine in 1611, it is illustrated by S.Howard Hansford, Chinese Carved Jades, London 1968, pl.80B.Compare with a similar striated grey jade 'chilong' cup, Ming dynasty, which was sold at Bonhams London, 15 May 2014, lot 161.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: YY Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A rare large green and russet jade 'boy' brush rest17th centuryThe figure of the boy crisply carved wearing loose flowing tunic and trousers, resting on his belly with his legs raised and arms outstretched as if in flight, the large head finely detailed with incised hair and almond-shaped eyes, the stone of even greyish-green tone with some russet inclusions. 17cm (6 3/4in) long.Footnotes:十七世紀 青白玉雕童子擺件Provenance: an English private collection, and thence by descent來源：英國私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今The Confucian doctrine of filial piety together with the cult of ancestor worship underscored the need for children, in particular boys, to continue the family line and make offerings to the ancestors in the afterlife. As such, the depiction of boys can be found in various media in Chinese art including painting, porcelain, lacquer and jade carvings. Compare with a related but larger jadeite pillow in the shape of an infant boy, 18th/19th century, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (acc.no.02.18.426)For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A fine white and grey jade carving of a boy on hobby-horse17th/18th century Deftly carved as a standing boy with finely incised patch of hair atop his pate, carrying a spray of lotus in his right hand extending over his back, his left hand holding the reins of a hobby-horse between his legs, the stone of pale white tone with a grey patch. 8.5cm (3 3/8in) high. Footnotes:十七/十八世紀 白玉雕騎竹馬童子擺件Provenance: Gerard Arnhold (1918-2010) Born in 1918 in Dresden, Germany, Gerard Arnhold was from a well-known family of Jewish philanthropists. His family left Germany in 1936, after the Nazis came to power and seized their assets. He served in the British Army during the Second World War, before starting a successful technology company in Brazil. He and his family supported rebuilding efforts in Germany and many charitable causes, always working anonymously. Arnhold was also a generous supporter of the Durham Oriental Museum for many years.來源：Gerard Arnhold（1918-2010年)Gerard Arnhold，1918年出生於德國德累斯頓的著名猶太慈善家族。 1936年，在納粹上台並沒收其家族財產後，全家離開德國。他曾於第二次世界大戰期間效力於英軍，之後在巴西成功創立了一家科技公司。二戰後，Gerard及其家人長期匿名支持德國重建工作及其他慈善事業，他也是達勒姆東方博物館的長期捐贈者。Images of boys playing with a hobby horse form part of the popular 'boys at play' and 'Hundred Boys' subjects that emerged during the Song dynasty. This theme is symbolic of the Confucian ideal for the education and advancement of many sons, a wish further emphasised by the lotus (lian 蓮) he carries which is a homophone of 'continuous' (lian 連) and creates the rebus 'May you continuously give birth to sons'. As the boy is depicted riding a hobby-horse, this conveys the further wish for it to come quickly as 'to be on top of a horse' (mashang 馬上) means 'immediately'.Compare with a similarly finely-carved figure, but holding a rattle instead of a lotus stem, in the Museum of East Asian Art, Bath, (museum no.BATEA 1218); and a related figure of a boy holding a lantern on a pole, from the collection of Florence and Herbert Irving and now in the Metropolitan Museum, New York (acc.no.2015.500.5.14).For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A magnificent large very pale green jade 'stag and young' groupQianlongSuperbly carved as a large reclining stag with its head held high and turned sharply towards a smaller deer, the stag with long antlers extending down its neck, its legs tucked beneath its body, both deer clasping a large, leafy sprig with five lingzhi fungus heads in their mouths, the stone of a very pale green-white tone with russet patches, with silver-inlaid wood stand. 19cm (7 1/2in) long. (2).Footnotes:清乾隆 青白玉雕雙鹿銜芝擺件Provenance: Erwin Scharf (1904-1978), and thence by descentErwin Scharf (1904-1978) emigrated from Germany to Britain in the 1930s to escape Nazi persecution of the Jews. He graduated from the university of Leipzig with a doctorate in law but never practiced, rather going into the family business of manufacturing sound reproducing components. His brother, Dr Alfred Scharf was an art historian and it was he who encouraged Erwin's interest in art. 來源：Erwin Scharf（1904-1978）舊藏，並由後人保存迄今Erwin Scharf（1904-1978），二十世紀三十年代，為逃避納粹對猶太人的迫害，自德國移民英國。 Erwin畢業於萊比錫大學並獲法學博士學位，後加入製造聲音再現裝置的家族企業。其兄Alfred Scharf博士是一名藝術史學家，激發了Erwin對藝術的興趣。This group is of unusually large size for an animal carving of this period. Skilfully modelled in the round, the sturdy animals effectively contrast with the finely carved branches of lingzhi fungus that scroll around the larger deer to create a sense of movement. The quality of the carving and polish is also of the highest standard. Compare also with a related pale green jade three ram group, Qing dynasty, and a pale green jade carving of a stag and doe with lingzhi fungus, Qing dynasty, in the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in the Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade, Qing Dynasty, vol.9, Beijing, 2010, pls.143 and 145. See also a related jade recumbent deer with lingzhi in its mouth, Qing dynasty 1700s, in the Cleveland Museum of Art (acc.no.1952.498).Deer have a number of auspicious meanings in Chinese culture. Shoulao, the Star God of Longevity, is usually depicted accompanied by a spotted deer, crane, peach and pine tree. Thus each of these, including the deer, has come to represent long life. Deer are also believed to be the only animals that can find the fungus of immortality. In addition, deer may represent Luxing, the God of Rank and Emolument. The Chinese word for deer (lu 鹿), sounds like the word for emolument or an official salary (lu 祿), thus deer are symbolic of the rank and wealth that are associated with such a salary. The word for deer is also a homophone for 'road' and for 'six'. Thus two deer suggest two auspicious phrases: Lulu shunli, 'May all roads be smooth', and Liuliu dashun, 'May everything be smooth sailing'.Compare with a smaller white jade group of stag and doe with lingzhi, 18th century, which was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 01 June 2011, lot 3561.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: YY Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A pale green jade 'dragon and young' groupQianlongDeftly carved and pierced as a large scaly dragon emerging from finely incised waves, a smaller dragon also emerging from the waves, gazing up at the larger, all amidst swirling clouds and a flaming pearl, the stone of even pale green tone, wood stand. 14cm (5 1/2in) wide. (2).Footnotes:清乾隆 青白玉雕蒼龍教子擺件Provenance: Erwin Scharf (1904-1978), and thence by descentErwin Scharf (1904-1978) emigrated from Germany to Britain in the 1930s to escape Nazi persecution of the Jews. He graduated from the university of Leipzig with a doctorate in law but never practiced, rather going into the family business of manufacturing sound reproducing components. His brother, Dr Alfred Scharf was an art historian and it was he who encouraged Erwin's interest in art. 來源：Erwin Scharf（1904-1978）舊藏，並由後人保存迄今Erwin Scharf（1904-1978），二十世紀三十年代，為逃避納粹對猶太人的迫害，自德國移民英國。 Erwin畢業於萊比錫大學並獲法學博士學位，後加入製造聲音再現裝置的家族企業。其兄Alfred Scharf博士是一名藝術史學家，激發了Erwin對藝術的興趣。The motif of an adult and young dragon seems to have been favoured by the Qianlong emperor and has been interpreted as conveying the message of the father teaching his son the ways of life, and within the Imperial family, that of the emperor giving lessons to the prince.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A spinach-green jade incense burner and openwork coverQianlong/ JiaqingFinely carved supported on a short recessed foot, carved around the exterior with taotie masks reserved on a dense and intricately incised leiwen ground, rising to an elegantly waisted rim flanked by a pair of S-shaped handles handles, the domed cover finely pierced with dense lotus scrolls, and surmounted by a chilong finial, the stone of dark green tone with dark striations, wood stand. 21.6cm (8 1/2in) wide. (3).Footnotes:清乾隆/嘉慶 碧玉鏤雕饕餮紋香薰Provenance: Erwin Scharf (1904-1978), and thence by descentErwin Scharf (1904-1978) emigrated from Germany to Britain in the 1930s to escape Nazi persecution of the Jews. He graduated from the university of Leipzig with a doctorate in law but never practiced, rather going into the family business of manufacturing sound reproducing components. His brother, Dr Alfred Scharf was an art historian and it was he who encouraged Erwin's interest in art. 來源：Erwin Scharf（1904-1978）舊藏，並由後人保存迄今Erwin Scharf（1904-1978），二十世紀三十年代，為逃避納粹對猶太人的迫害，自德國移民英國。 Erwin畢業於萊比錫大學並獲法學博士學位，後加入製造聲音再現裝置的家族企業。其兄Alfred Scharf博士是一名藝術史學家，激發了Erwin對藝術的興趣。Inspired by the shape and decoration of archaic bronze gui food vessels of the Zhou dynasty, the present lot is a fine example of the stylistic developments during the 18th century inspired by the wishes of the Qianlong emperor. Aiming to 'restore the ancient ways', the emperor wished to reinstate the intrinsic qualities of simplicity, sincerity and happy exuberance of the ancient cultures. For this purpose, the emperor instructed the court to collect drawings of antiquities, such as the 'Catalogue of Xiqing Antiquities' (Xi Qing Gu Jian 西清古鑑), which served as sources of designs for the production of contemporary vessels. See Chang Li-tuan, The Refined Taste of the Emperor: Special Exhibition of Archaic and Pictorial Jades of the Ch'ing Court, Taipei, 1997, pp.49-50. Compare with a related spinach-green jade tripod incense burner and cover, Qianlong, said to have come from the Summer Palace, Beijing, illustrated by S.C.Nott, Chinese Jade throughout the Ages, Rutland, 1971, pl.CXVIII; see also a related spinach-green jade incense burner and cover, Qianlong, illustrated by R.Keverne, ed., Jade, London, 1992, p.163, fig.89. A related spinach-green jade incense burner and cover, Qianlong, was sold at Bonhams London, 11 May 2017, lot 237.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A superb pale green jade 'immortals' boulderQianlongSuperbly carved in high relief on one side with three bearded sages each carrying a peach, lingzhi fungus and lotus spray respectively, beneath a gnarled pine tree, a pavilion higher above in the distance, the reverse with a crane gazing down on a deer, all within a craggy grotto with further pine trees, the stone of very pale green tone with minor russet and cloudy inclusions, wood stand. 20cm (7 7/8in) high. (2).Footnotes:清乾隆 青白玉雕林中高士圖山子Provenance: Spink & Son, Ltd., London, 1980Florence and Herbert Irving (1920-2018; 1917-2016) collection, no.336Published and Illustrated: R.Keverne, ed., Jade, London, 1991, p.174, fig.117來源：1980年購自倫敦古董商Spink & Son, Ltd.佛羅倫斯·歐雲（1920-2018）與赫伯特·歐雲（1917-2016）伉儷舊藏，編號336出版著錄：R.Keverne，「Jade」，倫敦，1991年，頁174, 圖117Florence and Herbert Irving were avid collectors of Asian art for more than 50 years, and in 2015, they gave an extraordinary collection of more than 1,200 works of art to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. In 1969, Herbert Irving co-founded the company Sysco. Through hard work and dedication, the company was listed in 1970 and by 2009, Sysco was ranked number 204 in the Fortune 500 companies based on sales. Subsequently, Sysco grew to become one of the world's leading food product distribution company with sales of up to US$58 billion. This exceptional success brought with it great wealth to Florence and Herbert Irving. Their collecting interests encompassed all of the major cultures of East and South Asia and virtually every medium explored by Asian artists and craftsmen over five millennia. Their support of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York was also recognised through the numerous galleries that bear their names, in addition to funding the Florence and Herbert Irving Asian Wing in its entirety.This finely-carved boulder is a superb example of the sensitivity of the 18th century carvers in their use of the natural form of the stone to portray a literati-style landscape scene. During the Qianlong reign, the emperor requested that jade mountains, as well as plaques and panels with scenes of mountainous landscapes, take their artistic influence from the work of famous painters. The personal interest of the emperor, as well as the increased availability of large pieces of Khotan jade after the pacification of the area in 1759, prompted a proliferation of production of jade boulders of varying sizes exquisitely carved with delicate mountain scenes resembling literati landscape paintings. Compare the present carving to a group of jade mountains carved with landscape motifs in the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in Jadeware (III), The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 1996, nos.72-74.See also a similar but slightly smaller pale green jade boulder, Qianlong, which was sold at Christie's London, 10 November 2015, lot 55.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: YY Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A fine yellow jade 'dragon' pendantMid Qing DynastyOf oval form, each side finely carved in low relief with a stylised archaistic dragon, the stone of even yellow tone, wood stand. 5.5cm (2 3/16in) long (2).Footnotes:明中期 黃玉龍紋佩Compare with a related white jade 'chilong' pendant, 18th century, which was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 26 November 2014, lot 3154.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: YY Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A very pale green jade archaistic vase, huQianlongOf flattened baluster shape, the wide central register carved with ridges imitating Western Zhou dynasty archaic bronze decoration, between key-fret borders also around the rims, and waisted lower section and neck each similarly decorated in relief with a whirl medallion flanked by archaistic C scrolls, the neck flanked by a pair of zoomorphic handles suspending loose rings, all raised on a conforming shaped spreading foot, the stone of event pale green tone. 20cm (7 7/8in) high.Footnotes:清乾隆 青白玉雕仿古活環雙耳壺Provenance: a Spanish private collection, and thence by descent來源：西班牙私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A rare pale green jade imperial-poem-inscribed double-sided panelQianlongThe rectangular plaque probably originally a leaf in a jade book, finely inscribed with seven Imperial poems in regular kaishu calligraphy, the stone of pale green stone with some cloudy inclusions, with a later finely-carved and pierced wood stand. The jade 15.5cm (6 1/8in) high. (2).Footnotes:清乾隆 青白玉雕御詩文硯屏Provenance: a European private collection, and thence by descent來源：歐洲私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今The seven poems inscribed on the jade screen come from the 'Twenty Imperial Poems on the Arrival of Winter' (Yuzhi sheng dong ershi shou 御製生冬二十首) which was composed by the Qianlong emperor. These set of poems were in fact part of a larger cycle of painting on the Four Seasons (Xingshu sishi shihe 行書四時詩合).This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: YY Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A pale green jade tripod incense burner and cover, dingQianlongSkilfully carved around the sides with archaistic motifs and taotie masks, flanked by a pair of auspicious bat handles, all supported on three short feet issuing from mythical beast-heads, the domed cover similarly decorated with taotie masks, surmounted by a circular dragon finial carved in openwork, the stone of pale green tone with milky inclusions. 21cm (8 1/4in) wide. (2).Footnotes:清乾隆 青白玉浮雕獸紋三足香薰Provenance: an English private collection來源：英國私人收藏This piece embodies the brilliant creativity of Qing craftsmen in its combination of contemporary and archaic motifs. Continuing the Song tradition of reinterpreting large archaic ritual bronzes into relatively small jade vessels, this incense burner is carved with the archaic taotie motif. In response to jade carving in the 18th century, characterised by decorative objects with ornate high-relief designs, the Qianlong emperor commissioned a large number of jades which were inspired by the forms and designs of antiquity. Jade carvers were encouraged to move away from the 'new style' by studying archaic bronze vessels in the Palace collection or in illustrated woodblock prints, and adapting them to the medium of jade. Inspired in both form and decoration by archaic bronze ding, this incense burner epitomises this trend.Compare with a related white jade incense burner and cover with archaistic taotie design, Qing dynasty, illustrated in the Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade, 10, Beijing, 2011, p.135, no.98.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A very pale green jade archaistic 'heavenly bird' vase and coverQianlongThe mythical bird exquisitely carved standing on pierced, angular scroll-work, with finely incised-plumage supporting a vase carved with archaistic taotie masks in low relief, the domed cover surmounted by a finial, the stone of pale green tone with some darker patches. 12.5cm (4 3/4in) high (2).Footnotes:清乾隆 青白玉雕天雞蓋尊The archaistic flying mythical creatures known as 'heavenly birds' or tianji and are commonly mistaken as phoenixes. The legend of tianji dates back to the Jin dynasty (AD 265–420) as recorded in Xuanzhongji or 'Records of Mysterious Phenomenons' by the Eastern Jin scholar and writer Guo Pu (AD 276-324). It is said that there lies a giant tree on Mount Taodu whereby the tree is so immense it shades an area of five thousand kilometres. The tianji is found perched on the tree while other birds mimic its singing. Another 4th-6th century record also mentions the tianji as a bird that could fly a thousand miles high and whose flapping wings would produce thunderous sounds when outstretched.See a related jade phoenix vase but without cover, 18th century, illustrated in Jade Chinois: Pierres D'Immortalité, Paris, 1997, p.188, no.123.Compare with a related pale green jade 'cockerel' vase and cover, 18th century, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and formerly the collection of Florence and Herbert Irving, which was sold at Sotheby's New York, 10 September 2019, lot 18.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
An archaistic spinach-green jade 'dragon and phoenix' vase, zunQianlongCrisply carved as a standing mythical bird with the head facing forward slightly to the right, carrying a hollowed vase incised with C-scrolls between a pair of upswept wings, a scaly dragon curled around behind the phoenix and the vase, the stone of dark olive-green tone with black flecks, silver-wire inlaid wood stand.10.2cm (3 1/2in) high. (2).Footnotes:清乾隆 碧玉雕龍鳳尊Provenance: a European private collection, and thence by descent來源：歐洲私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今The combination of the dragon and phoenix is from Daoism, and represents sagacity, long life and benevolence. A related 'dragon and phoenix' vase group from the Harvard University Art Museum, is illustrated in Chinese Art in Overseas Collections, Jade I, Taipei, 1981, no.153.The shape of the vase in the present group is in imitation of archaic bronzes, and archaistic jade carvings of the Song dynasty. A related white jade example, in the form of an archaic bronze gu of diamond cross-section, 18th century, also detailed with a dragon on the side of the vase, is illustrated by R.Kleiner, Chinese Jades from the Collection of Alan and Simone Hartman, Hong Kong, 1996, p.188, no.144, and later sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 28 November 2006, lot 1385.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: YY Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A very fine pale green jade vase and cover18th/19th centuryCrisply carved in baluster form of square section, the body left plain to enhance the natural beauty of the smooth very pale green stone, a band of lappets at the shoulder beneath archaistic circular whorl patterns, the elegantly tapering neck flanked by a pair of archaistic beast-head handles, the cover surmounted by a square finial, wood stand and fitted box and cover. 20.2cm (8in) high. (4).Footnotes:十八/十九世紀 青白玉雕雙耳蓋瓶Provenance: Pierpaolo Pineschi (1925-2014), Italy, and thence by descentPierpaolo Pineschi (1925-2014) was one of the founders of the National Union of Italian Film Journalists. In 1950 he was appointed Head of Press and Promotion of Unitalia Film, promoting Italian cinema worldwide. It was in these circumstances that Pineschi worked with the entertainment mogul and philanthropist Sir Run Run Shaw (1907-2014). During Pineschi's visit to Asia, Sir Run Run Shaw introduced him to Chinese art and approved of his choice of the present jade vase.來源：意大利Pierpaolo Pineschi（1925-2014）舊藏，並由後人保存迄今Pierpaolo Pineschi（1925-2014）是意大利電影記者聯盟的創始人之一。 1950年，Pineschi被任命為Unitalia電影新聞和推廣部門負責人，在全球範圍內推廣意大利電影。由此，Pineschi開始與娛樂界大亨兼慈善家邵逸夫爵士（1907-2014）合作；在其訪問亞洲期間，邵逸夫爵士向他介紹了中國藝術，並促成了他選擇收藏本拍品。Qing dynasty carvers understood that their craft was still second to nature in beauty and so highlighted the natural beauty of the stone by leaving larges areas of the present lot unadorned, living up to the saying that jade is as pure as ice (yujie bingqing 玉潔冰清).Only the shoulder is carved in low-relief with an archaistic band of whorl patterns. The beast-head handles further allude to archaic bronzes from the Zhou dynasty from which many jades carvings were inspired. Compare the handles of the present lot with those on a white jade vase and over, Qianlong, illustrated in the Compendium of Collections of the Palace Museum: Jade, 10, Beijing, 2011, p.48, no.22.See also a related white jade vase and cover, Qianlong, smoothly carved with elephant-head handles, illustrated in The Splendour of Jade: The Songzhutang Collection of Jade, Hong Kong, 2011, p.165, no.135.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: YY Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A large pale green and russet jade 'lotus' waterpot and cover18th centuryNaturalistically carved as a large well-hollowed lotus pod with fleshy seeds, the centre with circular cover, all borne on large curling stems issuing further smaller lotus pods and unfurling leaves and lotus flower, the stone of pale green tone with some russet and milky-white inclusions, wood stand.21cm (8 1/4in) wide (3).Footnotes:十八世紀 青玉雕蓮式水丞及蓋Provenance: an English private collection來源：英國私人收藏The fine craftsmanship of the present lot is particularly evident in the remarkable skill necessary to carve the delicate cover to fit the waterpot. Compare with a pale green jade lotus leaf washer, Qing dynasty, in the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in the Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade 10: Qing Dynasty, Beijing, 2011, no.195.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: YY Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A pale green jade carving of lychee17th centuryFinely pierced and worked as two ripe fruits incised with a diamond pattern and star-pattern, borne on a gnarled leafy stem, the stone of greenish-yellow tone with some russet inclusions. 8.5cm (3 3/8in) long.Footnotes:十七世紀 青白玉雕荔枝把件Provenance: a French private collection來源：法國私人收藏Compare with a related jade ornament carving of lychees, Ming dynasty, illustrated in the Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade, 6, Beijing, 2011, p.213, no.199. Motifs of lychee were very popular in the Ming dynasty as also exemplified by two jade boxes and covers decorated with lychees, Ming dynasty, illustrated in Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade, 7, Beijing, 2011, pp.241-242, nos.229 and 230.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A rare pale green jade 'Five Holy Mountains and four rivers' box and cover18th centuryThe straight sides carved with various craggy mountains surrounded by crashing waves beneath key-fret border, the flat cover carved in low-relief with five archaic characters representing the Five Holy Mountains, the underside of the cover carved with a further four characters wu yue si du, between writhing chilong, the stone of even pale green tone with milky white inclusions, huanghuali stand. 8.5cm (3 3/8in) wide (3).Footnotes:十八世紀 青白玉雕「五嶽四瀆」蓋盒Provenance: Lady Montague Burton, Harrogate, and thence by descent來源：英國哈羅蓋特Montague Burton夫人舊藏，並由後人保存迄今The underside of the cover is inscribed with the characters wu yue si du (五嶽四瀆), the Five Great Mountains and Four Rivers. The Sacred Mountains of China are divided into several groups. The Five Great Mountains (五嶽) refers to five of the most renowned mountains in Chinese history, and they were the subjects of Imperial pilgrimage by emperors throughout ages. They are associated with the supreme God of Heaven and the five main cosmic deities of Chinese traditional religion. According to Chinese mythology, the Five Great Mountains originated from the body of Pangu (盤古), the first being and the creator of the world. Because of its eastern location, Mount Tai is associated with the rising sun which signifies birth and renewal. Mount Tai is believed to have been formed out of Pangu's head. Mount Heng in Hunan is believed to be a remainder of Pangu's right arm, Mount Heng in Shanxi of his left arm, Mount Song of his belly, and Mount Hua of his feet.See a ceremonial jade tablet, gui, with similar characters of the Five Holy Mountains, with a wood base dated to the Qianlong reign, illustrated in the Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade, 8, Beijing, 2011, p.30, no.7; and another gui ceremonial tablet with similar characters, p.33, no.10. The same characters of the 'Five Mountains' can also be seen carved on the panels of a zitan chair, Qing dynasty, illustrated in Zhongguo meishu quanji: Gongyi meishu bian, vol.11, Beijing, 1996, pl.184.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: YY Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A yellow and russet jade bowlMid Qing DynastyDeftly carved rising from a short straight foot to a flaring rim, carved around the exterior in shallow relief with two blossoming classic lotus borne on meandering scrolls, the translucent stone of yellowish-green tone with russet-brown striations. 12cm (4 3/4in).Footnotes:清中期 黃玉帶皮飾蓮紋盌Provenance: a European private collection, and thence by descent來源：歐洲私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今Compare with a related pale green bowl with floral motifs carved around the exterior, 18th century, illustrated by J.Ayers, Chinese and Japanese Works of Art in the Collection of Her Majesty the Queen, vol.III, London, 2016, p.796, pl.1856.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A pale green jade incised 'bajixiang' sceptre, ruyiQianlongElegantly carved and smoothly polished with a long, curving shaft, finely incised with the Eight Auspicious Emblems, bajixiang, the large lingzhi shaped terminal incised with a caparisoned elephant carrying a vase on its back with further auspicious symbols such as a chime, coral and ruyi sceptre, the stone of even pale-green tone, box. 43cm (17in) long. (2).Footnotes:清乾隆 青白玉雕太平有象八吉祥紋如意Provenance: Jessie May Stirling (d.2010), Edinburgh, and thence by descent. According to family history Jessie May Stirling inherited the ruyi sceptre from her father who was in China in the first half of the 20th century.來源：英國愛丁堡Jessie May Stirling女士（2010年歿）舊藏，並由後人保存迄今據家族記載，其父於二十世紀前半葉居於中國，後Stirling女士繼承了這柄如意Finely finished to a smooth and highly tactile polish, this piece is notable for the delicate decoration. Such restrained decoration draws attention to and enhances the quality and translucency of the stone. The present lot is rich in auspicious symbolism. The elephant together with the vase, for example, forms a rebus. The 'vase' (ping 瓶) which puns with 'peace' (ping 平), and elephant (xiang 象) which also means 'sign' or 'portent', forms a rebus for the phrase taiping youxiang (太平有象), meaning 'Where there is peace, there is a sign (or elephant)'. Furthermore, the shaft is decorated with the Eight Buddhist Emblems.See a related jade ruyi-sceptre, Yongzheng/Qianlong, but incised with dragons among clouds, illustrated by E.Rawski and J.Rawson, eds., China: The Three Emperors 1662-1795, London, 2005, p.369, no.282. Compare with a related pale green jade 'peach' ruyi-sceptre, 18th century, which was sold at Bonhams Hong Kong, 28 May 2019, lot 154.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A small pale green jade carving of Buddha17th/18th centuryThe small pebble crisply carved as the Buddha seated in dhyanasana, both hands resting on his lap, clad in loose flowing robes with finely carved pleats, the face with serene expression between pendulous ears, the stone of even pale green tone. 5cm (2in) high.Footnotes:十七/十八世紀 青白玉雕釋迦牟尼坐像Provenance: Galerie Gerard Levy, Paris 來源：巴黎古董商Galerie Gerard LevyCarved jade figures of Buddha were made for the Qing Imperial court to be placed within precious pagodas or to be placed individually in shrines. Compare two related but larger spinach-green and pale green jade figures of seated Buddha, from the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Jadeware (II), Beijing, 2008, nos.170-171. The small size of the present Buddha would therefore suggest that it would have been worshipped within a larger pagoda, related to those illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Treasures of Imperial Court, Beijing, 2004, nos.171-177. Compare also another larger white jade Buddha, Qing Dynasty, illustrated in Jade Blossom: Imperial Xiuneisi Jade Object and Ancient Jade Gems Collected by the Xu's of Cixi, Zhejiang, 2010, pp.282-283. See a related jade carving of the Maitreya Buddha, of similar height (5.5cm), in the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Jadeware (III), Hong Kong, 1996, p.128, no.107.Compare with a similar pale green jade carving of Buddha, 18th century, which was sold at Bonhams London, 7 September 2011, lot 240.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A pale green and russet jade carving of a horseMing DynastyFinely carved in the form of a horse with its head lowered to drink from a swirling stream, the rounded body with well-defined ribs and delicately carved mane and long tail, the russet area cleverly used to denote the animal whilst the pale green stone used for the crested water, drilled through for suspension as a toggle. 5.2cm (2in) long.Footnotes:明 青白玉雕飲馬把件Provenance: an English private collection, and thence by descent來源：英國私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A pale green and russet 'boys washing the elephant' groupQianlong Crisply carved as a wrinkled elephant standing four-square in a whirling pool of water with finely-incised eddy currents, its long trunk playing with the water, two boys with brushes sweeping the elephant, the stone with russet patches, wood stand. 7.5cm (3in) long. (2).Footnotes:清乾隆 青白玉帶皮童子掃象擺件Provenance: S.Marchant and Sons, London (label)A distinguished English private collection來源：倫敦古董商S.Marchant and Sons（標簽）英國顯赫私人收藏The subject matter of boys tending to an elephant forms many multiple layers of meaning and auspiciousness. The phrase 'ride an elephant' (qi xiang 騎象), has a similar pronunciation as ji xiang (吉祥), meaning good fortune. Furthermore, boys cleaning or 'washing the elephant' (sao xiang 掃象), forms a rebus for 'sweeping away the phenomena of the outside world', which are thought to be mere illusions. The pun is based on the fact that the pronunciation of 'elephant' and 'image' is the same in Chinese (xiang 象). Compare with a related carving of an elephant being groomed by two boys, illustrated in the Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade, Beijing, 2011, no.136.See also a related white jade carving of an elephant and boys, 18th century, which was sold at Sotheby's London, 10 May 2017, lot 4.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: YY Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
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