A WHITE JADE 'PHOENIX' ORNAMENT YUAN DYNASTY

the thin plaque carved in the form of a phoenix with a slender neck above outstretched wings and a long feathery tail, the plumage defined with fine incisions, pierced at the beak with a small aperture for attachment, the greyish-white stone with russet inclusions 

The stone at the openwork area of the wing has a few minor flaws in the stone and old chips, but the overall condition is stil quiet good.
"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."

Compare a slightly earlier example of flattened form but with the phoenix shown in profile, in the British Museum, London, included in the exhibition Chinese Jade Animals, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1996, cat. no. 81; and another attributed to the Warring States or early Western Han period (300-87 B.C.) in the Lantien Shanfang collection, illustrated in Teng Shu-P'ing, One Hundred Jades from the Lantien Shanfang Collection, Taibei, 1995, pl. 81; and two later versions published in Wang Zhangju, National Treasure Collection of Rare Cultural Relics of Shaanxi Province, Xi'an, 1999, p. 203. The form of the present piece is similar to gold and silver ornamental pieces of the Tang and Liao dynasties; for example see three ornaments, formerly in the collection of Dr. Carl Kempe, sold in our London rooms, 14^th May 2008, lot 70.