A LARGE AND OUTSTANDING TURQUOISE VASE AND COVER QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD |

the flattened vase of baluster form, exuberantly carved in openwork around the exterior with pairs of birds sheltering amongst the Three Friends of Winter, the left with two cranes standing on a rocky ledge under a tall pine tree, the right with two magpies perched on a gnarled prunus tree beside leafy bamboo, the domed cover similarly carved with two further magpies amongst budding and flowering prunus, the stone of a turquoise tone with dark moss-like inclusions and black veins, wood stand

The vase and cover are in overall good condition. As expected of turquoise of this age and fragility, there are small areas at the extremities where there have been small chips and losses, including the edge of a petal on the cover, several branches and leaves on the main body and minor areas of the foot. As visible in the catalogue photo, there are natural flaws in the stone.
"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."

Known as lüsongshi, or ‘green pine stone’ in Chinese, turquoise is a porous and fairly soft material that can be scratched with a knife. As such, this treasured material was more often included in accessories for court dress than as stand-alone pieces. Varying in colour from greenish tones to a sky-blue, they are often suffused with a matrix, thus requiring extraordinary imagination and technical virtuosity to successfully marry an auspicious subject with the unusual stone. Surviving turquoise vessels of this size are rare, and the present piece perfectly embodies the craftsman’s ability to create a sense of harmony between the Three Friends of Winter (bamboo, pine and prunus trees) and the heavily matrixed stone. It captures a sense of archaism and mystery; the crackled surface a reminder of both the temporal and immortal.

Compare a vase of this type carved with birds and water lilies on a slender body, sold in our Rome rooms, 13th January 1973, lot 141; another carved with birds perched amidst floral branches on a flattened body, sold in our London rooms, 7th/8th May 1973, lot 68; and a third example with a Guanyin and a small boy standing on a rock, sold at Christie’s London, 21st February 1968, lot 151. For another turquoise carving, see a figure of Xi Shi, sold twice in our London rooms, 20th October 1958, lot 93 and 15th December 1970, lot 8, and a third time at Christie’s New York, 21st September 1995, lot 391, from the Spencer-Churchill collection, illustrated in Soames Jenyns, Chinese Art III, New York, 1965, pl. 160; and a figure of He Xiangu, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 27th September 1989, lot 1627.

Turquoise mines in Xinjiang province especially provided access to resources of turquoise after 1759. Treasured by Tibetans for its association with the wisdom of the earth and sky in Buddhism, it was embraced by the Qing court, evidenced in items such as the Qianlong Emperor’s turquoise necklace he wore for ceremonies at the Altar of the Moon.