清乾隆 白玉仿古饕餮紋茶壺

of compressed globular form supported on a short splayed foot, set with a tapered spout opposite a double 'C'-shaped handle formed with two ruyi blooms at the upper end, the exterior finely carved in low relief with a broad stylised taotie mask band, the domed cover similarly decorated with archaistic motifs below a finial in the form of a lotus bud, the translucent stone of a whitish-green colour with attractive russet inclusions

In overall good condition except minute nicks to the rim of the cover and the tips of the lotus bud finial. The actual colour of a warm creamy tone.
"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."

The Qianlong emperor is known to have been a fervent tea drinker and to cater for his tea parties, which were held in the first lunar month at the Chonghua dian (Hall of Double Glory) within the Forbidden City. This teapot is exceptional for the superb quality of the material, evident in its evenness of tone and opacity. By utilising the subtle low-relief carving technique, the beauty of the material is emphasised and further enhanced through the incorporation of the contrasting russet colourations. The jade employed for this piece most probably came from the jade-rich territories of Khotan and Yarkand, areas opened after the Qing army’s conquest of the north-western territories. Prior to the conquest, jade was only available in the form of relatively small boulders and Qianlong lamented the scarcity of the material in many of his earlier poems; thereafter large quantities of high quality nephrite were imported each year as tribute.

Qianlong’s eclectic taste is embodied in this teapot and the craftsman has successfully drawn from various sources of inspiration and combined them onto a contemporary form to result in a highly original piece perfectly suited to the emperor. The taotie motif encircling the body is taken from archaic bronze vessels, while the flower-shaped knop echoes the florid style of Mughal jade carving which peaked in popularity during the Qianlong period.

A similarly decorated teapot, attributed to the first half of the 19th century, was included in the Min Chiu Society exhibition Splendour of the Qing Dynasty, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1992, cat. no. 245; and a Daoguang mark and period teapot, carved in low-relief with a geometric and floral design, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Jadeware (III), Hong Kong, 1995, pl. 8.

Compare jade teapots modelled with double C-shaped handles and bud-shaped tiered knops; for example one, fashioned with related ruyi-shaped finials, in the De An Tang collection, was exhibited in A Romance with Jade, Palace Museum, Beijing, 2004, cat. no. 97; another, of slightly compressed form, was included in the Min Chiu Society exhibition Selected Treasures of Chinese Art, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1990, cat. no. 212; a third, from the collection of Alan and Simon Hartman, was sold in our New York rooms, 20th March 2002, lot 156, and again at Christie’s New York, 22nd and 23rd March 2012, lot 1884; and another teapot was sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 11th April, 2008, lot 2871. Compare also a teapot of this form, but carved with the ‘Three Friends of Winter’, included in A Romance with Jade, ibid., cat. no. 97.