A FINELY CARVED CELADON JADE BOAT QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD

worked in the form of a flat-bottomed boat on a bed of swirling waves, the bow covered with an arched woven roof and the mast folded on the side, with a long bamboo stick leaning diagonally against the roof hanging a cloak, the prow rendered with a standing figure steering the boat opposite a recumbent dog, the front deck with a fish basket and a fisherman pulling a net from the water, the stone of a pale green colour

A private European collection.
S. Marchant & Son, London.

80th Anniversary Exhibition of Chinese Jades from Han to Qing, S. Marchant & Son, London, 2005, cat. no. 88.

The carving is in overall good condition with just expected minute bruises and nicks to the fragile extremities, including a tiny one to the hem of the cloak atop the boat.
"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 charming piece evidences the skill of the Qing carver through its hollowed out interior and figures that have been modelled in the round. Moreover, a heightened sense of life and vitality has been achieved by the naturalistic poses of the figures who have been caught in a moment of action.

A boat of this type, in the Tianjin Museum, Tianjin, is illustrated in Jade Wares Collected by Tianjin Museum, Beijing, 2012, pl. 206; one, from the collection of Alan and Simone Hartman, is illustrated in Robert Kleiner, Chinese Jades from the Collection of Alan and Simone Harman, Hong Kong, 1996, pl. 165; another is published in James C. Watt, Chinese Jades from the Collection of the Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, 1989, pl. 54; and a slightly smaller boat was sold in these rooms, 8th April 2010, lot 1873. Compare also a boat carved with a larger number of figures, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum. Jade, vol. 8, Qing Dynasty, Beijing, 2011, pl. 125; another from the De An Tang Collection, included in the exhibition A Romance with Jade, Palace Museum, Beijing, 2004 , pl. 59; and a third, sold in our London rooms, 30th October 1987, lot 342.