AN EXCEPTIONAL PALE CELADON-WHITE JADE BALUSTER VASE AND COVER QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD

of elegant flattened form, carved with an ovoid body rising to a waisted neck and a square-lipped mouthrim, all supported on a splayed foot, the neck flanked by a pair of openwork kui dragon handles, the well-fitted cover with gently sloping edges and surmounted by a multi-faceted finial, the lustrous stone of an even pale celadon-white colour, wood stand

Yang Boda, Essence of Qing Jades, Chicago, 1995, pp. 46-47.

Apart from some expected nibbles and bruises, especially to the rims of the vase and cover, as well as the extremities of the handles, the overall condition is very good. The actual colour is similar 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."

In its exquisitely finished plain surface, the present vase is a celebration of the flawless jade stone from which it has been carved. It is rare for Qianlong period jade to be devoid of surface decoration, and this style was reserved for only the finest quality stones. Flanked only by a pair of archaistic dragon handles which endow the piece with a sophisticated flair, the smooth body highlights the evenness of tone, luminosity of the material and purity of its colour. Only the most proficient jade craftsman who possessed an intrinsic understanding of the characteristics of jade would have been able to produce such a piece. The direction, size and form were all considered before beginning the long process of wearing away and shaping the resilient stone. Such large flawless stones were only available from the mid-18th century as a result of the prosperity and trade relations that marked the Qianlong reign.

Compare a white jade hu vase of rectangular section, with ringed elephant head handles, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, included in the Museum’s exhibition The Refined Taste of the Emperor. Special Exhibition of Archaic and Pictorial Jades of the Ch’ing Court, Taipei, 1997, cat. no. 15. Compare also a Khotan green jade vase from the Woolf collection, illustrated by Angela McAteer et al, The Woolf Collection of Chinese Jade, London, 2013, pl. 28. The Woolf vase shares the same rare flattened ovoid shape and splayed foot as the current vase, is similarly polished and also devoid of decoration apart from a low relief band around the shoulders, and inscribed with a Qianlong fanggu mark.