A RARE WHITE JADE 'DRAGON AND PHOENIX' TALLY QINQ DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD

formed from two circular discs, each half with a pierced central medallion enclosing two characters reading tongxin (of one heart), one finely carved in low relief to the top with an archaistic phoenix and tiger, the underside with two characters reading hanhe (cherish harmony), interspersed by four archaistic animal masks, set with two small hooked tabs, one of circular form incised with the qian symbol from the Eight Trigrams, the other of square form with a long character, the other disc carved with four characters reading ruyue zhiheng (as eternal as the moon), divided by archaistic angular strapwork, the underside with a pair of confronting kui dragons encircling two small slots for the tabs to slide in, the softly polished stone of even color with some inclusions (2)

There is a 0.2 cm chip to the edge of the square slot, and a 0.1 cm chip to the edge of the circular slot. There is a 0.2 cm chip to the circular hooked tab. Otherwise, the tally is in overall good condition with some veining and inclusions. Some minor nicks to the extremities, as can be expected. The actual color of the stone is more of a softer 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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Compare a nearly identical Qianlong period white jade tally in the Palace Museum, Beijing, which has the central tongxin characters carved on a solid ground instead of pierced as with the present lot, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Jadeware (III), Hong Kong, 1995, pl. 27. See another similar white jade tally with different characters, sold in our Paris rooms, 16th December 2010, lot 265.

The present tally, or hefu in Chinese, derives from a special two-piece object that was used as a representation of authority or identification in ancient China. The history of the tally can be traced back to as early as the Spring and Autumn period (770-476 BC), when they were often made of bronze and in the form of tigers – and thus were given the name hufu (tiger tally). They had an important function in the early military system; the right piece was always retained in the central government and strictly controlled by the emperor; and the left piece was carried by the local military officers or commanders. When military action was to be taken, the emperor would send out his right piece to the corresponding local officer, and only when the two pieces of a tiger tally were matched, could troops then be dispatched.