A CELADON JADE 'PHOENIX' GROUP QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY

the long-tailed bird perched atop rockwork issuing lingzhi sprays, the wings neatly folded over the back and the crested head clasping a leafy peony spray in its beak, the slightly calcified stone of pale celadon tone with dark brown inclusions

There is a chip to the tip of its crest and minor nicks to the extremities. The colour of the jade is warmer 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. 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 similar carving of a phoenix was included in the Oriental Ceramic Society exhibition Chinese Jade Throughout the Ages, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1975, cat. no. 399; another in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum, Jade, vol. 9, Qing Dynasty, Beijing, 2011, pl. 141; a slightly smaller example modelled carrying a peach branch in its beak, in the Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, was included in the Museum's exhibition Chinese Jades from the Collection of the Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, 1989, cat. no. 63; and a slightly larger one is illustrated in Roger Keverne, Jade, London, 1991, p. 342, pl. 1.