A PALE CELADON JADE VASE AND COVER QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD

the flattened pear-shaped body rising from a spreading foot to a waisted neck, flanked by a pair of phoenix handles, carved in low relief to one side with leafy carnation branches and lingzhi issuing from rockwork, the other side with gnarled prunus and Rhodea japonica, all below cicada lappets around the neck, the rim encircled with a keyfret band, the stepped cover carved with ruyi scrolls and surmounted by a reticulated dragon knop, the stone of an even pale celadon tone

Collection of Major J.E. de Sales la Terriere.
Sotheby’s London, 3rd November 1953, lot 160.
Collection of Mrs. Ian Beattie.
Sotheby’s London, 21st November 1961, lot 153.
Bluett & Sons, London.
Collection of P.D. Krolik.
Sotheby’s London, 24th February 1970, lot 138.
Sotheby’s London, 8th June 1993, lot 181.

Exhibition of the Arts of the Ch’ing Dynasty, Arts Council Gallery, London, 1964, cat. no. 391.

J.P. Palmer, Jade, West Sussex, 1968, pl. 29.

The jade vase is in overall good condition with the exception of small chips to the extremities, such as the edges of the floral petals, tips and edges of the leaves and branches on both sides of the relief decoration (largest measuring 0.3 x 0.1cm). There are at least four minute chips and bruises to the outer rim (each measuring approx 0.1cm) and another 0.7 x 0.1cm chip to the inner rim. There are also minor nibbling along the extremities including the phoenix handles and foot of the vase. The cover also has small chips and minor losses to the extremities, the reticulated knop and the edges of the rims. There are minor natural flaws to the stone, including mottled inclusions to the stone and natural veining with associated flakes near the base of the vase. The stone is of a more celadon tone compared 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 present vase is a good example of the Qianlong emperor’s taste for jade pieces to be modelled after archaic bronzes and court paintings. In response, craftsmen sought to demonstrate their proficiency in the medium by capturing a level of naturalism in the stone which was equal to that achieved by painted with ink and brush on paper. The prunus branch and Rhodea japonica adorning one side of this vase and the carnation with lingzhi fungus on the other both resemble flower paintings from the Song period and successfully capture the different textures of the flora. This vase was probably presented on the occasion of a wedding as the combination of these auspicious plants conveys the wish for ten thousand years of happiness in the new season of marriage.

 

Compare a vase similarly carved with a painting-inspired scene of quails on a riverbank in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, illustrated in Ming Wilson, Chinese Jades, London, 2004, pl. 50; another depicting Shoulao in a landscape, from the collection of Dr John N. Loomis, sold in our New York rooms, 28^th/29^th November 1994, lot 26; and a slightly later vase decorated with prunus branches sold at Christie’s New York, 23^rd March 2012, lot 1919.