Page 114 - Bonhams Chinese Works of Art June 2015 Hong Kong

Exquisitely crafted jade vessels such as the present teapot and cover 青白玉質，瑩潤溫澤，壺唇口，扁圓身，壺流微彎，夔龍式柄，圈足
are amongst the most impressive and eye-catching objects in the 微撇。壺身一面淺浮雕山石梅花，另一面雕牡丹，壺蓋亦雕刻花卉紋
imperial collections, for the opulent use of the precious jade stone, 與壺身呼應。
the exquisite form and accomplished carving. The delicacy of the
floral stems reaching across the smoothly carved and evenly toned 清宮中有大量玉雕宮廷日用器，但執壺的數量相對較少。玉雕飲食器
body is a masterful demonstration of the finesse and sensitivity of the 皿，因雕刻多費玉料，自漢代起就稀世如珍。劉明倩指出：「宋徽
craftsman, exemplary of jade craftsmanship at its peak. 宗嗜愛以玉杯飲酒，視其為權利象徵，以震懾契丹。玉雕器皿製作
艱難，其價值多勝於瓷製品。」見《Chinese Jades》，倫敦，2004
Food and drink vessels made of jade were extremely cherished 年，頁38-44。
treasures from as early as the Han dynasty, particularly as they
required great expense and wastage of precious jade to produce. 相似之例，見北京故宮博物院藏數件玉雕執壺，其中一件亦採用夔龍
M.Wilson in Chinese Jades, London, 2004, p.38, records an anecdote 形柄，見《故宮博物院藏品大系，清代玉器10》，北京，2011年，圖
of the Song dynasty ruler, Emperor Huizong, expressing concern about 版131-135。另參看一例清乾隆白玉雕執壺，著錄於《閣有天珍: 中國
his desire to use jade cups being viewed as an extravagance, and a 文房玉雕》，香港，2007年，編號23。另一件清乾隆白玉雕光素執壺
cunning courtier suggesting that such use was an important emblem 於英國威立士售出，2011年5月18日，編號471。
of his power in comparison to the rival Qidan dynasty. The author also
notes that ‘of all food and wine vessels, the ewer is the most difficult
to make.... [such pieces] would this have been more valuable and rare
than porcelain ones...’, see ibid., p.44.

The chrysanthemum, juhua 菊花, and plum blossom, meihua 梅花,
forms the auspicious synergy of the ‘Two Friends of Winter’, suihan
eryou 歲寒二友. Both motifs symbolises longevity as they remain
constant despite the inclement weather. The combination of these
two elements can also be read as meishou 眉壽, whereby the plum
blossom is a pun for eyebrow, mei 眉; a long eyebrow is considered
a sign of longevity. Bats, fu 蝠, can also be read as fu 福, which
forms the pun fushou 福壽, which literally translates as ‘prosperity
and longevity’. Similarly, the narcissus, shuixian 水仙, is a pun for
‘immortality’, and when combined with the imagery of plum blossoms
as carved on the teapot cover, they form the pun tianxian gongshou
天仙供壽, which literally translates as ‘May the heavenly immortals
honour you with longevity’.

Several examples of white jade teapots and covers dated to the Qing
dynasty, including one with related treatment of the mythical beast
head handle as the present lot, are illustrated in Compendium of
Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade 10: Qing Dynasty, Beijing,
2011, nos.131-135. See also a white jade teapot and cover, Qianlong,
from the collection of Andrew K.F.Lee, illustrated in Virtuous Treasures:
Chinese Jades for the Scholar’s Table, Hong Kong, 2007, Catalogue,
no.23.

Compare a related white jade teapot and cover, Qianlong, but of plain
exterior, sold at Woolley and Wallis, Salisbury, 18 May 2011, lot 471.

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