The Victor Shaw Collection of Chinese Jades: Online Part 1
The Victor Shaw Collection of Chinese Jades: Online Part 1
The Victor Shaw Collection of Chinese Jades 邵維錫藏中國玉雕
Lot Closed
February 28, 02:08 AM GMT
Estimate
260,000 - 360,000 HKD
Lot Details
Description
The Victor Shaw Collection of Chinese Jades 邵維錫藏中國玉雕
A white jade 'Liu Hai and toad' group,
17th century
十七世紀 白玉劉海戲蟾
fitted wood stand
12.6 cm
Originally a Tang dynasty Minister of State and alchemist, who was a proficient student of Daoist magic, Liu Hai is known as one of the Daoist immortals and a popular Chinese god of wealth, often seen with the three-legged toad and a string of Chinese coins. The mythical three-legged toad known in the present day as Jinchan, meaning “Money Toad” was derived from the toadfish species which are not native to China, but with their toad-like appearance like the traditional Jinchan, with its attendant tail fin resembles the curious third leg as seen in the present lot. See a related jade carving of ‘Liu Hai and Toad’ group, 18th century, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 3rd June 2015, lot 3433.
劉海蟾,名操,字宗成,又字昭元、昭遠,道號海蟾子,道教祖師,三教合流人物,傳說為五代十國時期廣陽人,因郡望而被稱為廣陽先生、廣陽劉真人。民間則因「劉海戲金蟾」之傳說稱其為劉海。 俗有「劉海戲金蟾,一步一吐錢」之說,劉海蟾得道後,為解救金蟾,以一串金錢釣三足蟾出海,是為「劉海戲金蟾」,金蟾走一步,能吐一枚銅錢。劉海蟾走到哪便把錢撒到哪,以周濟窮人,因此劉海蟾也被視為財神。參看一例清十八世紀玉雕劉海戲蟾擺件,售於香港佳士得2015年6月3日,編號3433。