- 89
AN IMPERIAL INSCRIBED YELLOW JADE THUMBRING QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD
Estimate
80,000 - 100,000 HKD
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Description
- Jade
the exterior incised in lishu with an imperial poem eulogising yellow jade and followed by a four-character inscription reading zhongchun yuti ('Imperially inscribed in the second month of spring'), followed by a qian seal mark, the stone of a pale greenish-yellow colour
Provenance
Robert Kleiner & Co. Ltd., London.
Condition
The thumbring is in overall good condition with just typical light surface wear.
"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 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."
Catalogue Note
The Manchu nation rose to power by means of horse riding and archery, and all Manchu rulers deemed it essential to continue the long tradition of archery. Qing Imperial records document the obligation every young man belonging to the Eight Banners had in practising archery in the 'archer's house' of their respective Banners. Archer's thumbrings (she) were worn on the right thumb to protect the archer from the bow string when discharging the arrow. They not only became part of the bannerman's indispensable paraphernalia but also a symbol of rank and wealth.
The Qianlong Emperor, a keen huntsman who was especially proud of his skills in archery, often had himself depicted while shooting his prey, as seen on the painting entitled Taking a Stag with a Mighty Arrow, from the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, included in the exhibition Splendours of China's Forbidden City, The Field Museum, Chicago, 2004, cat. no. 117, where he is depicted wearing an archer's thumb ring which appears to be made of jade. For examples of other Qianlong reign-marked jade thumb rings from the Qing Court collection and still in Beijing, see a set of three jade exhibited in Jinxiang yuzhi: Qingdai gongting baozhuang yishu/Qing Legacies: The Sumptuous Art of Imperial Packaging, Macao Museum of Art, Macau, 2000, cat. no. 98; and another set of three sold in these rooms, 6th April 2016, lot 3023.
The Qianlong Emperor, a keen huntsman who was especially proud of his skills in archery, often had himself depicted while shooting his prey, as seen on the painting entitled Taking a Stag with a Mighty Arrow, from the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, included in the exhibition Splendours of China's Forbidden City, The Field Museum, Chicago, 2004, cat. no. 117, where he is depicted wearing an archer's thumb ring which appears to be made of jade. For examples of other Qianlong reign-marked jade thumb rings from the Qing Court collection and still in Beijing, see a set of three jade exhibited in Jinxiang yuzhi: Qingdai gongting baozhuang yishu/Qing Legacies: The Sumptuous Art of Imperial Packaging, Macao Museum of Art, Macau, 2000, cat. no. 98; and another set of three sold in these rooms, 6th April 2016, lot 3023.