insigne en jade blanc Chine, Dynastie Qing, avec une marque Qianlong

circulaire, une partie s'emboîtant dans l'autre grâce à deux pitons, l'un rond, l'autre carré portant la marque Qianlong en cachet, cette partie à décor de caractères stylisés sur une face et de masques de taotie au revers, l'autre partie décorée d'un lion, d'un phénix et d'un caractère et au revers de deux dragons, la tranche des deux gravée d'une frise de dragons gui

Some chips all around the inside and outside rims of both plaques.
"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."

A slightly smaller tally of this form and similar decoration, but with differing characters, in the Qing Court collection and still in Beijing, is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Jadeware (III), Hong Kong, 1995, pl. 27.

The present tally, or fu, derives from a special two-piece object granted to officers in ancient China as a representation of authority or identification. One piece was held by one person in a certain location and the other was carried by the officer, and the two would be matched when identification was necessary. Certain types of special fu were assigned to high-ranking officers at places like the capital palaces and were used as symbols of authority or to gain clearance. On a more general level, tallies made of simple material such as wood or iron were handed out to guests entering certain areas and repossessed upon their exit. During the Han (206 BC-AD 220) and Three Kingdoms (220-265 AD) periods the fu held by high-ranking officers were usually made of bronze and in the form of tigers.