A SUPERB AND RARE WHITE JADE VASE AND COVER MARK AND PERIOD OF QIANLONG

of compressed ovoid form flanked at the neck by a pair of scrolling handles, finely and delicately carved to one side in low relief with a crane standing on one leg beneath a large pine tree, with a clump of lingzhi fungus and bamboo stalks growing beside, the reverse left undecorated, the cover of similar section surmounted by an angled knop, the base neatly incised with the four-character reign mark, the stone of an exceptionally even, warm creamy-white tone and finished with a smooth and brilliant polish 

There is some polishing to the front side of the foot approximately 2cm long. There are some minor nicks / fritting to the inside and outside of the mouth as well as the inside of the cover. The overall condition of this piece is very 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."

The present vase is an exceptional example of subtle fine carving, the delicacy of which is captured through its low-relief. Its skilful production reflects the height of jade production in China. The stable imperial power and unprecedented affluence of the Qing dynasty, coupled with the Qianlong emperor's passion for jade, created a perfect environment in which jade carving could flourish. It was also during this period that interest in incorporating the realistic depiction of living organisms into the design of jades reached an unprecedented level. The expertise of the carver is seen in the contrast between the linear details of the auspicious crane, pine tree and lingzhi fungus, all symbolic of longevity, and the curved yet robust form of the vase. Compare a closely related vase in the Palace Museum, Beijing, also decorated with cranes, lingzhi, and a pine tree, along with a bat and bamboo, illustrated in Zhongguo yuqi quanji, vol. 6, Shijiazhuang, 1993, pl. 208. See also a spinach-green vase of rectangular form carved with the design of pine trees, ibid., pl. 210.

For further examples with low-relief carvings of plants see one from the National Palace Museum, Taipei, exhibited in The Refined Taste of the Emperor: Special Exhibition of Archaic and Pictorial Jades of the Ch'ing Court, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1997, cat. no. 24; and another from the collection of Alan and Simone Hartman, published in Robert Kleiner, Chinese Jades of Alan and Simone Hartman, New York, 1996, cat. no. 141.