Page 86 - 2019 September 10th Sotheby's Important Chinese Art Jades, Met Museum Irving Collection NYC

22 A PALE CELADON JADE
‘LONGEVITY’ GROUP

㶭 曺 QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY
⋩ 䘥 the large pebble carved as a deer and crane nestled alongside
ℓ 䌱 each other, each grasping sprigs of chrysanthemum and peach
ᶾ 晽 in the mouth, the feet tucked neatly underneath, the deer with
䲨ġġġ ℕ antlers ß attened down the neck, the eyes, feathers and fur Þ nely
⎰ incised, the stone an even pale celadon with occasional faint
⎴ russet patches, wood stand (2)
㗍
㈲
ẞ Length 3¾ in., 9.8 cm

PROVENANCE Ը๕
Spink & Son, London, 23rd September 1982. ŔűŪůŬġħġŔŰů炻ΐ㔎炻IJĺĹij⸜ĺ㚰ijĴ㖍
Collection of Florence (1920-2018) and Herbert (1917-2016) ἃ伭ΐ㕗ġĩIJĺijıĮijıIJĹĪġ⍲崓ỗ䈡ġĩIJĺIJĸĮijıIJķĪɀ
Irving, no. 397.
㫸暚ằ⃟㓞啷炻䶐嘇Ĵĺĸ
Together, the deer (lu) and crane (he) form the rebus for liuhe,
suggesting the phrase liuhe tongchun (‘the universe is enjoying
spring or longevity’). The blessing is emphasized by the presence
of other emblems associated with longevity, such as the peach
and chrysanthemum.
A ‘deer and bird’ group sold at Christie’s New York, 24th March
2004, lot 42. For jade carvings of deer holding sprigs of lingzhi,
see one sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 27th October 2003, lot
822, and another sold at Christie’s Paris, 22nd November 2005,
lot 25. Compare also a white and brown jade ‘deer and badger’
carving sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 30th May 2019, lot 594.

$ 20,000-30,000

84 SOTHEBY’S