A YELLOW AND RUSSET RECUMBENT JADE HORSE MING DYNASTY

the stone of a pale celadon tone streaked with russet-brown veining, deftly carved as a reclining animal with its head turned towards its tail, detailed with alert eyes of almond shape and well-groomed mane, its body elegantly curved, with the muscular legs tucked under the belly, and its bushy tail curled alongside its right hind leg

Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 20th May 1981, lot 886.

Gerard Tsang and Hugh Moss, Arts from the Scholar’s Studio, Fung Ping Shan Museum, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1986, cat. no. 155.

The jade carving is overall in very good condition with a smooth patina. The actual colour is deeper and slightly more greenish 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 carver of this horse figure has produced a fine naturalistic sculpture, with the body skilfully fashioned and perfectly balanced. Small jade animal sculptures, generally carved in a reclining or seated pose, were made for the scholar’s studio and used as paperweights. For a closely related example, see a small horse figure, in the collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, illustrated in James C.S. Lin, The Immortal Stone, London, 2009, cat. no. 47, together with a greyish-green jade carving of two nuzzling horses, also used as a paperweight and attributed to the late Ming and early Qing dynasty, cat. no. 48.

Further related examples include a yellow and brown jade horse carving illustrated in Jessica Rawson and John Ayers, ‘Chinese Jade Throughout the Ages’, Transactions of the Oriental Ceramic Society, 1973-75, vol. 40, pls. 203a and b, from the Sonnenschein collection in the Art Institute of Chicago; another fashioned in a similar material and sculptural style but of smaller size to the present example, from the Northwick Park collection, sold at Christie’s London, 24th May 1965, lot 84; a green jade horse figure sold in these rooms, 14th December 1971, lot 38; and one from the collection of Mary and George Bloch, sold in these rooms, 23rd October 2005, lot 77. See also a greenish yellow jade horse, from the collection of Dr. Ip Yee, included in the Min Chiu Society exhibition Chinese Jade Carving, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1983, cat. no. 163, together with three Tang dynasty horse carvings which may have served as inspiration for later examples, cat. nos. 131-133.