AN IMPRESSIVE WHITE AND RUSSET JADE ARCHAISTIC DOUBLE-GOURD VASE QING DYNASTY |

of flattened double-gourd form, the bulbous lower bulb rising to a constricted waist and surmounted by a pear-shaped upper bulb, flanked by a pair of dragon handles in openwork, the beasts skillfully rendered with a sinuous body terminating in clawed limbs and bifurcated tails, the stone of an even white tone with occasional russet veins, engraved to the base with a horizontal four-character Qianlong yuzhi mark, wood cover and stand

The vase is in good overall condition with just expected minute nicks to the fragile extremities, including the rim of the vase and the tip of one chilong’s ear measuring approx. 0.2 cm.
"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."

This vase is striking for its elegant and yet unassuming design, which draws attention and enhances the quality and translucency of the creamy white jade stone. The carver's artistic ingenuity and reverence for the natural qualities of the stone is evidenced in the absence of surface decoration, save for the two handles, and the selective incorporation of the natural russet skin of the stone. Compare a double-gourd vase and cover, unmarked and decorated with auspicious emblems and the characters 'daji', and with floral handles, in the De An Tang collection, included in the exhibition A Romance with Jade, Hong Kong, 2004, pl. 44; another of slightly larger size, illustrated in Robert Kleiner, Chinese Jades from the Collection of Alan and Simone Hartman, Hong Kong, 1996, no. 149; one with floral handles well below the rim, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Jadeware III, Hong Kong, 1995, pl. 68; and a further double-gourd vase carved with bats and the handles in the form of phoenix, sold in our New York rooms, 19th/20th March 2007, lot 615.