Page 172 - Sothebys Fine Chinese Art London, November 2018

135

A BOXWOOD RUYI SCEPTER 清十八世紀 黃楊木松鶴萬寿紋如意
QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY
來源
the ruyi-shaped head carved with a shou character below Hugh Moss Ltd， 倫敦
a wan symbol, enclosed by three stylised lotus sprays and 香港蘇富比2010年10月8日， 編號2195
foliage scrolls, all below a bat in flight with wings stretched, the
long curved elegant stem finely detailed with a pair of cranes
below a pine tree and scrolling clouds, with a keyfret border at
the handle, the smooth patina of a warm reddish-orange tone
43.8 cm, 17¼ in.
PROVENANCE
Water, Pine and Stone Retreat collection.
Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 8th October 2010, lot 2195.
The present elegantly formed and finely carved sceptre bears
all the characteristics associated with 18th century wood
carving in China. The design, carefully planned and executed,
is full of auspicious symbolism. The crane (he) and the pine
(song) together form the rebus ‘songhe changchun’ meaning
‘may you enjoy a life as long as the pine and crane’ conveying
the wish for longevity. The lingzhi fungus is another symbol for
longevity, while the shou and wan characters together form
the saying ‘wanshou wujiang’ meaning ‘may one have long life
without boundaries’. The bats represent happiness and good
fortune.

‡ £ 20,000-30,000
HK$ 203,000-304,000 US$ 25,900-38,800

170 SOTHEBY’S