A CELADON AND RUSSET JADE ARCHAISTIC VASE YUAN / MING DYNASTY

the stone of a celadon tone with patches of russet inclusions and calcified areas, carved in the form of a hu vase supported on a prominent ribbed foot, the waisted neck encircled by a low-relief band of archaistic animal motif against a leiwen ground, flanked by a pair of clambering chilong handles in openwork, both beasts detailed with powerful claws and bifurcated tails, their heads turned to the right and pressed against the mouth of the vase, wood stand

Acquired in Paris between the 1970s and the early 90s.

There are some expected pits and losses (with minor refilled of less than 0.2 cm to one of the hind legs of a chilong) to the calcified areas. One ear of a chilong has been slightly polished down. The unevenness of the foot is possibly original. The stand, which is probably old and has been restored, is incised and picked out in silver wire with the character 'yi' to the base.
"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."

This vase cleverly combines a dynamic subject of chilong grasping at the sides with a stone infused with bold russet inclusions to result in an aesthetically striking work. The vertical striations of the russet enhance the vigorous nature of the creatures which have been skilfully modelled in the round and rendered with lean bodies that reveal a bony spine, its ribcage and muscular limbs. The gentle curls of their bifurcated tails and form of the vase create an effective contrast between the vessel and the creatures. Dragons of this type, known as chi-dragons or 'young dragons', are known in jade carving since the Warring States period (475-221 BC). It is interesting to note the development of the form of the chilong into a more naturalistic creature in comparison to the vase which retains its archaic hu form, thus resulting in a work contemporary to its time while firmly holding onto its archaic origins.

Compare jade vessels carved with a similarly rendered chilong clutching one side; for example see a rhyton attributed to the 10^th-14^th centuries from the Avery Brundage collection and now in the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, illustrated in Rene-Yvon Lefebvre d'Angence, Chinese Jades in the Avery Brundage Collection, San Francisco, 1977, pl. XXXVII; a slightly later pear-shape cup, from the Qing Court collection and still in Beijing, published in The Complete Treasures of the Palace Museum. Jadeware (II), Hong Kong, 1995; and a gourd-shaped vessel with cover, from the B.S. McElney collection, included in the exhibition Chinese Jades from Han to Ch'ing, Asia House Gallery, New York, 1980, cat. no. 133.