A white and russet jade 'phoenix and peach' group, Qing dynasty, 18th century | 清十八世紀 白玉瑞鳳蟠桃

This present lot has been carefully carved to maximise the use of the precious jade stone by being modelled according to its original shape. In addition to its animated carving, the carver’s respect for the stone is reflected in the clever incorporation of the natural russet inclusions of the pebble into the design.

A jade carving of a reclining phoenix holding a sprig of peaches in its beak, in the Museum of East Asian Art, Bath, is published in Angus Forsyth and Brian McElney, Jades from China, Bath, 1994, pl. 337; one is illustrated in Robert Kleiner, Chinese Jades from the Collection of Alan and Simone Hartman, Hong Kong, 1996, pl. 199; another was sold in these rooms, 17th November 1975, lot 66; A fourth similar example attributed to Qing dynasty, Qianlong period from the Muwen Tang Collection, was later sold in these rooms, 30th November 2016, lot 10.

白玉偏青，以玉料隨形而雕，玉石在蟠桃處留皮，如畫龍點睛一筆，以顯示玉石之瑩潤質地。英國巴斯東亞藝術博物館藏類似一例，著錄於霍璽及麥雅理，《Jades from China》，巴斯，1994年，圖版337；另見一例著錄於 Robert Kleiner，《哈特曼收藏中國玉器》，1996年，圖版199；第三例曾售於香港蘇富比1975年11月17日，編號66；第四例見沐文堂舊藏一件清乾隆白玉祥鳳獻桃擺件，後售於香港蘇富比2016年11月30日，編號10。