Page 88 - Sotheby's Sir Quo Wei Lei Collection Oct. 3, 2018

The fine, almost flawless quality of the material are the same. They all have their own unique
and the high polish are characteristic of jades style and different shape. The pieces are vivid,
produced at the Imperial workshops in the latter exquisite and artistic, far exceeding their mere
part of the 18th century. The lobed form, popular utilitarian function. The current white jade
during the period, shows influence from Mughal washer, of lobed form and completely plain,
jades which were sent as tribute wares from India encapsulated an elegance and minimalism
in large numbers. contrasting with some of the jades of the period
which veered towards over decoration, to the
After 1760, the tribute jade system from Xinjiang
and Hetian increased the supply of jades to disapproval of the Qianlong Emperor. Compare
the court, and sufficient jade material laid the the closely related treatment of the lobed form
foundation for the flourishing of Qianlong jade on a jade washer, included in the International
workmanship. Under these circumstances, Exhibition of Chinese Art, Royal Academy of
the creation of Qing jade washers reached an Arts, London, 1935, cat. no. 2865. See also a
unprecedented height. There are more than smaller white jade washer of similar lobed form,
600 Qing jade washers preserved in the Beijing but flanked by boys handles, sold in our London
Palace Museum collection. Due to the complexity rooms, 11th May 2016, lot 157, from the Fleischer
of creating a jade washer and the ever-changing collection.
materials, none of the existing jade washers