A PALE CELADON JADE CARVING OF A MYTHICAL BEAST MING DYNASTY |

fluidly carved, the animal laying with its legs tucked underneath the arced body, the head turned and nestled into the left shoulder, long floppy ears framing the cheeks centered by a long curling, striated horn, the bushy bifurcated tail sweeping around and grazing the nose, the fur variously patterned in swirls carved in intaglio and relief, the stone an even creamy color with fine russet speckles at the spine and by the face

Collection of Jon Edwards.

Robert P. Youngman, The Youngman Collection of Chinese Jades from Neolithic to Qing, Chicago, 2008, pl. 150.

The figure is in good condition with very little wear to the surface. The color of the stone is slightly whiter than in the illustration in the printed 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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This carving makes excellent use of the pebble from which it was carved. The composition is harmonious from every angle, with the restful countenance of the animal counterbalanced by the active swirling patterns of the fur and the undulations of the tail and mane that form a dynamic frame around the body. Moreover, the artisan has taken care to include minute details such as pupils in the eyes, two rows of individual teeth in the mouth, toes and paw pads at the feet, and bands of short fine fur at the ankles, tail, and horn. Other jades produced around the early Ming period bear similar carving characteristics, such as a white jade figure of a mythical beast and one of a toad in a lotus, both exhibited in Jades from China, The Museum of East Asian Art, Bath, 1994, cat. nos 289 and 301; a yellow jade carving of a mythical beast from the Arthur M. Sackler Collection sold at Christie's New York, 1st December 1994, lot 122, and previously published in Desmond Gure, 'Selected Examples from the Jade Exhibition at Stockholm, 1963: A Comparative Study', The Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities Bulletin, no. 36, 1964, pl. 11.2; a pale celadon jade carving of a winged ram published in John Ayers, A Jade Menagerie: Creatures Real and Imaginary from the Worrell Collection, London, 1993, cat. no. 21; a russet jade carving of geese formerly in the Kirknorton Collection, sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 7th October 2015, lot 3654; and a white and russet jade carving of a horse sold in the same rooms, 30th November 2017, lot 22.