Page 94 - Marchant Ninety Jades For 90 Years

四 48. Recumbent bear, xiong, scratching its neck with its right hind leg, with open mouth, scroll ears, ridged spine and protruding claws,
十 with detailed hairwork to the jowls, tail and leg edges, the stone white and russet.
八 2 ½ inches, 6.3 cm long.

Ming/Qing, 16/17th century.
熊

• From the personal collection of Hugh Moss.
白 • Sold by Sotheby’s Hong Kong in their auction of the Water, Pine and Stone Retreat Collection, Scholarly Art II, 4th April 2012, lot
玉 117, pp. 20/1.

明 • A similar example is illustrated by Christopher Knapton in the Spink exhibition of Chinese Jade, 1998, no. 6, p. 11.
末 • The model of this bear first appears in the Han dynasty. A related example in the British Museum, with the bear scratching its
清
neck with its left hind leg, is illustrated by Jessica Rawson in Chinese Jade from the Neolithic to the Qing, fig. 1, section 26, p. 350;

初 another, dated to the Han dynasty from the collection of Desmond Gure & Dr Arthur Sackler, is illustrated by Gerard Tsang in
Chinese Jade Animals, An Exhibition Presented by the Urban Council Hong Kong and Organised by the Hong Kong Museum

Hugh Moss of Art, 1996, no. 4, pp. 74/5.

• The bear, xiong, is a symbol of strength and bravery. It was once common in China and as a male symbol, it was registered as

fifth level of a military official on Mandarin squares during the Qing dynasty. It is often depicted being attacked by an eagle,

先 ying, forming the rebus yingxiong, hero. In either case, it is an appropriate gift for someone in the military.
生 • A bear and eagle group, from the collection of Constance Margaret Goldney, was included by Marchant in their 85th anniversary
舊 exhibition of Chinese Jades from Tang to Qing, 2010, no. 81, pp. 108/9.

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