A RARE ARCHAISTIC JADE RHYTON SONG DYNASTY

the translucent stone of a pale caramel-brown tone with darker natural inclusions, well carved in the form of an upturned horn raised on three scrolling legs, the exterior decorated in low relief with a frieze of 'S'-scrolls, all above an inverted taotie mask with striated eyebrows and long whiskers, the bifurcated mane forming the sinuous handle, zitan stand

Bluett & Sons, London, 1947.
Cunliffe Collection (no. JT4).
Bonhams, London, 11th November 2002, lot 1.

Chinese Jades, Oriental Ceramic Society, London, 1948, cat. no. 114.
The Arts of the Sung Dynasty, Oriental Ceramic Society, London, 1960.

The overall condition is very good. There are some original natural veins in the stone. The actual colour is quite close to the catalogue illustration.
"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 style of this rhyton with the horn-shaped cup held in the mouth of a mythical creature belongs to a distinct group of jade carvings that refer back to archaic bronze designs and forms. The archaistic 'S'-scroll decoration is reminiscent of late Zhou motifs while the form derives from rhytons produced during the Han and Tang dynasties. Jade examples of these vessels were introduced to China during the Han dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) when trade with Western and Central Asia was active and Western luxuries were popular at court, such as the jade rhyton from the tomb of King Nanyue at Canton illustrated in Jessica Rawson, Chinese Jade from the Neolithic to the Qing, Longon, 1995, p. 70, fig. 61. The bifurcated tail seen on the Nanyue cup was also carried through although the tail took a sharp turn to divide vertically on the Chinese reinterpretations as seen on the present example.

Rhytons attributed to the Song period are rare; for slightly later examples of related form and carving, see one in the Qing Court collection and still in Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Jadeware (II), Hong Kong, 1995, pl. 184; one in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, published in Ming Wilson, Chinese Jades, London, 2004, pl. 35; and another sold at Christie's New York, 19^th September 2007, lot 60. Compare also a similar rhyton with a chilong clambering up the side in the British Museum, London, included in Jessica Rawson, op. cit., pl. 29:8.