A jadeite archaistic incense burner and cover, Qing dynasty, 19th century | 清十九世紀 翠玉仿古獅鈕蓋爐

Yamanaka & Co., Ltd, Osaka.

An old Japanese family collection.

Grand Exhibition of Ancient Chinese and Corean Works of Art, Yamanaka & Co., Ltd, Osaka, 1934, cat. no. 758

The present incense burner is particularly remarkable for its large size, exceptional stone quality and grand archaistic form. Inspired by the archaic bronze fangding cauldron, the incense burner makes a conspicuous nod to the power and majesty of China’s ancient past while exuding fresh vitality in its crisp and brilliant stone colour. 

Shimmering with mottled tones of apple-green, jadeite ranks amongst the rarest and most precious materials employed by the Qing court. Although regular trade of the stone in China did not begin until 1784 with the softening of diplomatic relations with Myanmar, jadeite quickly garnered the attention and admiration of the Qianlong Emperor and his court. Particularly highly prized by the Empress Dowager Cixi, this rare shimmering mineral has now become synonymous with the status and sophistication of the nineteenth century. Its hardness and unusual colouration together with limitations in existing jade carving tools and techniques presented a novel challenge for the master craftsmen of the Qing palace workshops. While earlier examples are often found with uneven glassy polish and relatively crude detailwork, by the 19th century, jadeite had become a staple material in the imperial workshop, hewn into grand and spectacular pieces including the present treasure. 

Very few jadeite censers of this size and quality are known. Compare a related covered fangding from the collection of Sir Run Run Shaw, sold in these rooms, 28th June 2022, lot 116; another smaller example from the Parry Collection, of a more mottled white and green tone, sold at Bonhams London, 2nd November 2021, lot 56; and another, of wider proportions, from the Jingguantang Collection, sold in these rooms, 8th April 2010, lot 1816. See also a similar emerald-green jadeite incense burner, formerly in the collection of Baron Fujita, sold in these rooms, 2 May 2000, lot 797.

來源

山中商會，大阪

日本私人舊藏

展覽

《中國朝鮮古美術展觀》，山中商會，大阪，1934年，編號758

蓋爐翠玉質，其式取法商周方鼎之威儀，形制莊嚴古穆，彰顯古代彝器之氣魄，然翠玉之色澤清潤鮮活，復又盎然生機。

翠玉者，色澤瑩潤，翠蘋斑斕，乃清宮御用諸玉石之中至為珍罕者。清代宮廷正式貿易始自乾隆四十九年（1784年），因與緬甸邦交稍緩，此石方得入貢中土。翠玉既入宮廷，旋即為乾隆帝及諸宮廷貴冑所賞鑑，尤為慈禧太后所珍愛，遂成十九世紀富麗尊榮之象徵。然此玉質地堅密，色澤殊異，當時雕琢工具及技藝尚有不足，對清宮玉作匠師而言，實亦為有所挑戰。早期翠玉器常見拋光不勻、細部雕琢稍顯粗糙，至十九世紀，清宮造辦處玉作坊技藝臻於完善，遂能斲製如此宏偉精妙之御用重器。

如此尺寸及品質之翠玉蓋爐，存世殊為稀少。可資比對者，見邵逸夫爵士舊藏一例，於香港蘇富比售出2022年6月28日，拍品編號116；又見倫敦邦瀚斯拍賣之Parry舊藏一例，體量稍小，玉料白綠相間，2021年11月2日，拍品編號56；再參考靜觀堂舊藏一例，比例寬厚，亦於香港蘇富比售出，2010年4月8日，拍品編號1816。另見藤田伝三郎男爵舊藏一例，售於香港蘇富比2000年5月2日，拍品編號797。