A FINE WHITE JADE BOWL QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD

supported on a straight foot rising to wide rounded sides gently everted at the rim, the stone of translucent milky-white colour finely polished all over

This bowl is in excellent condition with a very fine finishing as visible in the catalogue. The tone of the stone is just slightly warmer than as illustrated and is more similar to the colour on the right hand side of the photograph than the left.
"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 bowl is exceptional both with regard to the purity of the stone as well as the quality of the polish. Plain, elegant vessels were created to highlight the superiority of the material, and although this piece is unmarked, the quality of the stone, the shape and fine finish are characteristic of late-Qianlong marked examples, which indicate that it would have been produced for the Qing court. A slightly smaller pair of bowls of this form, in the British Museum, London, is illustrated in Jessica Harrison-Hall, Chinese Jade from the Neolithic to the Qing, London, 1995, pl. 29:13; another example carved from a celadon stone, in the B.S. McElney collection, was included in the exhibition Chinese Jades from Han to Ch'ing, Asia House Gallery, New York, 1980, cat. no. 152; and a pair of bowls was sold in these rooms, 19^th April 2006, lot 1763.

Undecorated and finely polished jade vessels in traditional porcelain forms represent the epitome of high-quality dining utensils during the Qing period. According to Jessica Rawson, op. cit., p. 400, the high value placed upon and use of jade bowls and cups for eating and drinking is evidenced by the sumptuary laws which restricted the use of jade vessels and in novels that mention the use of such bowls and cups for dining.