Page 186 - Bonhams, Fine Chinese Art, London November 3, 2022

208 Ω
A WHITE JADE ‘MARRIAGE’ BOWL Finely carved with careful attention to detail, the present bowl relates
Qing Dynasty or later to the group of ‘marriage’ bowls which were popular during the Qing
The pale stone of even tone, carved as a bowl raised on four feet period and especially made for use by the Court. These vessels
carved as ‘lingzhi’ head, each ring-handle decorated with a bat and were deemed very suitable as prestigious gifts at wedding, and were
a shou symbol, the exterior carved in shallow relief with two ‘double decorated with auspicious motifs that conferred blessings and good
happiness’ characters alternating with double-peach symbols at the wishes upon the owners. Bats in particular were a popular motif to
handle, all within scrolling borders. celebrate a happy occasion such as a wedding, since the character
24.2cm (9 7/16 in) wide. for bat fu, is homophone with the word for wealth and happiness.
Combined with peaches, symbolising longevity, and the ‘double-
£30,000 - 50,000 happiness’ characters on this bowl bats are the ultimate symbols
CNY240,000 - 390,000 for happiness and union, symbolising highly propitious wishes for a
wedding.

清或更晚 白玉雙喜雙壽雙蝠耳活環洗 Compare with a related white jade ‘marriage’ bowl, Qianlong,
illustrated in The Woolf Collection of Chinese Jade, London, 2013,
no.71; another related jade ‘marriage’ bowl, Qianlong, illustrated by
R.Kleiner, Chinese Jades from the Collection of Alan and Simone
Hartman, Hong Kong, 1996, no.88, was later sold at Christie’s Hong
Kong, 27 November 2007, lot 1503.

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
184 | BONHAMS please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue.