清乾隆 御題和闐白玉桃鶴如意 《乾隆癸巳孟春御筆》款 「古香」、「太璞」印

御製詩 :

和闐玉府來包貢
脂質量長尺有加
琢作曲瓊宜把握
號稱如意召庥嘉
鶴齡闐苑雙翩羽
桃實瑶池幾度花
介祉新正奉王母
重儓底用説昭華



題和闐玉桃鶴如意恭奉聖母以介新正佳祉

There are minute fritts scattered along the edges of the sceptre head and the raised parts of the carved and pierced parts of the design on the front and back of the handle. There is a tiny chip to the tip of a branch on the carved part of the design. The stone is of very even pale celadon colour with only an area to the middle of the handle where the jade has a calcified spot. Under light the stone is translucent.
"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."

此如意乃非凡重器，可考例證甚凡。首先，如斯碩鉅之玉如意須由巨大原石雕琢而成，且通體均勻白潤，取料之難為其一。其次，色白無瑕之玉料甚為罕有，大材更寥寥，可遇不可求。製作如此般大的如意，耗費玉料甚巨，故若本品般尺寸及質素的珍貴玉器，必上呈皇帝或宮內地位尊崇者。本如意玉料珍貴，材質超卓，更為宮廷御製，凡此皆可引柄背刻文題詩為證。

如意背面鐫刻乾隆皇帝御題詩，頌揚玉料珍貴、造工精良，並述其用處。據刻文，本品玉料出自和闐（今稱新疆省和田地區）。和闐玉色均勻瑩潤，向為玉石之尊。乾隆年間，清廷將西北新疆地區納入中國版圖，故其地所產良玉朝貢不斷，有白玉、青白玉等。和闐玉深得乾隆帝賞析，多次為和闐玉美器親製御題詩。

本如意御題詩，描述柄上及如意頭紋飾之吉祥寓意，如鶴與桃即為長壽福愿。另外，御題詩提及傳說中掌握長生不老秘密的瑤池西王母。皇帝於文末罕有地賜本品題為「和闐玉桃鶴如意」，可見乾隆對本品珍視有加。

本品以和闐美玉為材，皇帝以御題詩讚揚其玉質精良，得此聖眷之玉器寥寥可數。兩岸故宮博物院收藏至少六件青白玉或白玉如意，雕琢精細，玉質瑩潤，均附乾隆御題詩，參考《吉祥如意文物特展圖錄》，台北，1995年，編號12-15，頁217-220；另見《普天同慶：清代萬壽盛典》，北京，2015年，編號39及40。

本品之造型紋飾有別於其它，具獨特意義。據柄背御題詩刻文，此如意乃乾隆恭奉崇慶皇太后八十歲壽辰之賀禮，祈望聖母新年福祉安康。萬壽節是清宮三大節慶之一，禮儀筵席浩繁奢華。乾隆、嘉慶及崇慶皇太后之六十、七十及八十壽宴又稱「萬壽盛典」，全國官員、商賈、外藩使節等自海內外四方來朝，奉獻各類奇珍異寶，並祈願皇帝及皇太后長壽安康，進貢者或獲賞賜，參閱《普天同慶：清代萬壽盛典》，北京，2015年，頁2-3。從形制、材料、紋飾及刻文可見，大量貢品皆以長壽無疆為主題。此玉如意非同一般，蓋因本品附刻文明述，應是乾隆皇帝敬奉生母崇慶皇太后的御製賀禮。