Lot 29
  • 29

A PAIR OF JADE-INLAID AND CANTON ENAMELLED ZITAN HATSTANDS QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD

Estimate
300,000 - 500,000 HKD
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Description

  • silver, zitan and jade
  • 29.4 cm, 11 5/8  in.
each with a domed canopy centred with a jade lotus floret, encircled by a lappet band in canton enamel, the slender zitan shaft with a baluster mid-section, enamelled with lotus blossoms between archaistic scrolls, all supported on a thick circular jade and zitan base, the stone of an even white colour

Condition

Good overall condition. There has been minor consolidation to ensure the separately constructed sections remain stable. There is typical surface wear and scratching.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Catalogue Note

This sumptuous pair of hat stands demonstrates the remarkable skill of craftsmen in all media during the Qianlong period, and their ability successfully to transform utilitarian vessels into visually striking works of art. Constructed from jade, painted enamel, zitan and silver, every step of the manufacturing process required careful planning, from the composition of the different elements into a harmonious whole to the manufacturing and assemblage of these elements. Complexly constructed and splendidly designed objects of this type were probably produced in Guangzhou, where some of the most experienced artisans were active. 

Hat stands of this type with a domed top and an elongated baluster form vertical shaft appear to be an innovation of the Qianlong period and are known to have been produced in various mediums; see a carved jade and inlaid zitan example, sold in our New York rooms, 17th/18th March 2015, lot 230; another, in the British Museum, London, included in the Oriental Ceramics Society exhibition Chinese Jade throughout the Ages, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1975, cat. no. 463; a tortoiseshell version mounted with gilt-copper decoration, included in the exhibition Tributes from Guangdong to the Qing Court, Art Gallery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1987, cat. no. 78; and a Beijing enamel example painted with floral scrolls and a shou character, illustrated in Qingdai Gongting Shenghuo [Life in the Palace during the Qing Dynasty], Hong Kong, 1985, pl. 183.