A 'SUZHOU SCHOOL' JADE 'MANDARIN DUCK' QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY

the pebble-shaped stone of white and brown skin, finely carved with a Mandarin duck with well-defined feathers and a brown-tipped beak, its left side flanked by a russet-brown lotus leaf and blossoming lotus flower

Chinese Jade Animals, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1996, cat. no. 181.

Hei-Chi, Jades from the Hei-Chi Collection, Beijing, 2006, p. 198. 

The overall condition is very good. The white areas of the stone is bright white.
"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."

Cleverly carved to incorporate the natural russet outer layer of the stone and masterfully executed with flecks to indicate the texture of the feathers, this piece is a fine example of jade carving produced in the Suzhou workshops. Compare a similarly carved figure, also integrating the hues of the pebble skin, in the Museum of East Asian Art, Bath, included in the exhibition Jades from China, Museum of East Asian Art, Bath, 1994, cat. no. 343; and a carving of a goose holding a spray of lotus included in the exhibition Chinese Jade Carving, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1983, cat. no. 183. For a larger white jade carving of two mandarin ducks with lotus, see one exhibited in Exquisite Jade Carving, The University Museum and Art Gallery, Hong Kong, 1996, cat. no. 121.

Mandarin ducks are symbolic of marital fidelity and are often depicted with lotuses, whose flowers represent harmony and whose seedpods stand for numerous progeny.