A yellow jade archaistic vase and cover, Qing dynasty, Qianlong period | 清乾隆 黃玉仿古雙龍耳蓋瓶

Collection of Chingwah Lee (1901-1980). 

Weisbrod & Dy Ltd., New York, 14th November 1981.

李清華 (1901-1980) 收藏

Weisbrod & Dy Ltd.，紐約，1981年11月14日

Arthur and Grace Chu, The Collector's Book of Jade, New York, 1978, pl. 8. 

Arthur and Grace Chu，《The Collector's Book of Jade》，紐約，1978年，圖版8

This elegant and rare vase is notable for its archaistic form and the use of the highly esteemed yellow jade material. Exquisitely worked after the archaic bronze, the present piece reflects the craftsman's skill and embodies the Qing imperial taste for antiquity.

Starting from the Ming dynasty, yellow jade has been highly regarded by scholars and connoisseurs. According to Yanxian Qingshang [Refined Enjoyment of Elegant Leisure] by the dramatist Gao Lian, yellow jade with a mellow tone ranked the best amongst all variations of nephrite. Because of its rarity, the brownish layer of outer skin was often incorporated into the design of the carving, as seen on the present lot, to increase the overall size and show the carver's respect for this highly valuable material.

Yellow jade works of this large size are very rare. Compare two smaller examples from the collection of Palace Museum, Beijing, one with ring handles on the sides, and the other with angled shoulders, carved in low-relief with a taotie band between plantain blades and with scrolling handles, both illustrated in Li Jiu-fang, Huaxia guyu / Chinese Jades throughout the Ages. Connoisseurship of Chinese Jades, vol. 12, Hong Kong, 1997, pls 30 and 31; another similar piece, flanked by two extended chi-dragon handles, sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 4th October 2016, lot 24. Compare also a related yellow jade vase and cover but carved with the 'Three Friends of Winter' in high relief, illustrated in The Woolf Collection of Chinese Jade, London, 2013, pl. 1, p. 76; also a related celadon jade piece, but with floral decoration in low relief throughout the body, illustrated in Li Jiu-fang, op. cit., pl. 13; and a smaller plain yellow jade vase, flanked by two openwork archaistic phoenix handles, sold twice at Christie's Hong Kong, 17th May 1988, lot 555, again, 29th April 1996, lot 693, and a third time at Christie's London, 15th May 2007, lot 374.