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8. An Exceptional Large White Jade Vase and Cover
Qianlong Period (1736–95)
The flattened pear shape vase standing on a spreading base, decorated at the neck with two elephant-head ‘C’-scroll handles suspending loose rings. The high domed cover surmounted by a prowling young mythical beast, probably a bixie, with its head turned back and its bushy tail flicked up, the highly polished flawless stone of an even white tone.
31 cm. (12 1/4 in.) high overall
Provenance:
Mrs. S. M. Hutton, London
Bluett & Sons, London, circa 1930
Mary S. Harkness, New York, Parke Bernet, 17 January 1951, lot 265
Christie’s New York, 6 June 1985, lot 83
Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 9 October 2007, lot 1576
“When Wang Sun Yu of Chu was on a state visit to Jin….. Zhao Yang asked, “Is the White jade heng still in Chu?” Wang Sun Yu replied “Yes.” Zhao Yang said “How long has it been the national treasure of Chu?”
Guo yu (around 500bce)
Since the earliest times, flawless white jade has been considered a peerless treasure. For beauty of material and size, this vase can hardly be matched.
Showing the quality of the jade, the lapidary left the vase completely undecorated, creating a sense of understated luxury. The only adornments are the animal finial and elephant-head handles, which are identical to that of a Qianlong-marked hu vase in the National Palace Museum (13). Because of the lack of decoration, the lapidary paid particular attention to the polish of the stone, resulting in a lustrous, almost mirror-like finish, emphasising the jewellery quality of the piece. The auspicious combination of elephant, xiang, and vase, ping, together creates the rebus tai ping jing xiang, ‘the appearance of great peace’ – fitting praise for the sovereign of a great empire.
(The Refined Taste of the Emperor: Special Exhibition of Archaic and Pictorial Jades of the Ch’ing Court, 1997)
13 illustrated in The Refined Taste of the Emperor: Special Exhibition of Archaic and Pictorial Jades of the Ch’ing Court, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1997, p. 87, no. 15
Next: (9) An Imperial Mottled Grey Jade Bowl
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