A PALE CELADON-WHITE JADE BRUSH WASHER QING DYNASTY, 18TH – 19TH CENTURY

worked in the form of a lobed peach, the deep rounded sides rising from four ruyi feet to an incurved rim, flanked by a pair of handles carved in the form of a bat perched on the edge of the rim, above a loop fashioned as a stylised lingzhi spray suspending a loose ring, the exterior worked in low relief with another bat with outstretched wings, grasping in its mouth a long tassel pierced in openwork, suspending a pair of interlaced bats, an endless knot and a stylised shou character over the top of the vessel, terminating in two pleated swags falling into wavy ends on the opposite exterior, the stone of a pale celadon-white tone flecked with dark speckles

Christie's London, 15th June 1998, lot 266.

The washer is in good condition. There are some minute flakes, some possibly lightly polished, to the edges as consistent with age.
"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."

A larger brush washer of this form and with a shou character suspending from a tassel was sold at Christie’s New York, 2nd December 1993, lot 68; and a slightly smaller version was sold in our London rooms, 21st February 1967, lot 7. See also a bowl carved with the characters shuangxi ('double happiness') hanging from a musical stone, from the collection of George de Menasce and now in the collection of Sir John Woolf, included in the exhibition The Woolf Collection of Chinese Jade, Sotheby’s, London, 2013, cat. no. 63; one of slightly smaller size, illustrated in Robert Kleiner, Chinese Jades from the Collection of Alan and Simone Hartman, Hong Kong, 1996, pl. 105; two sold in our London rooms, the first, 1st/2nd November 1984, lot 462, and the second, 7th November 2007, lot 385.

This piece is carved with numerous auspicious messages and would have been considered a suitable wedding or birthday gift. The shou character is symbolic of long life, while the two bat handles create the pun shuang fu, which indicate double blessings.