Page 217 - Sothebys Speelman Gems of Chinese Art

Known as lüsongshi, or ‘green pine stone’ in Chinese, branches on a flattened body, sold in our London rooms,
turquoise is a porous and fairly soft material that can be 7th/8th May 1973, lot 68; and a third example with a Guanyin
scratched with a knife. As such, this treasured material was and a small boy standing on a rock, sold at Christie’s London,
more often included in accessories for court dress than as 21st February 1968, lot 151. For another turquoise carving,
stand-alone pieces. Varying in colour from greenish tones see a figure of Xi Shi, sold twice in our London rooms, 20th
to a sky-blue, they are often suffused with a matrix, thus October 1958, lot 93 and 15th December 1970, lot 8, and
requiring extraordinary imagination and technical virtuosity a third time at Christie’s New York, 21st September 1995,
to successfully marry an auspicious subject with the unusual lot 391, from the Spencer-Churchill collection, illustrated
stone. in Soames Jenyns, Chinese Art III, New York, 1965, pl. 160;
and a figure of He Xiangu, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 27th
Surviving turquoise vessels of this size are rare, and the
September 1989, lot 1627.
present piece perfectly embodies the craftsman’s ability
to create a sense of harmony between the Three Friends Turquoise mines in Xinjiang province especially provided
of Winter (bamboo, pine and prunus trees) and the heavily access to resources of turquoise after 1759. Treasured by
matrixed stone. It captures a sense of archaism and mystery; Tibetans for its association with the wisdom of the earth
the crackled surface a reminder of both the temporal and and sky in Buddhism, it was embraced by the Qing court,
immortal. evidenced in items such as the Qianlong Emperor’s turquoise
necklace he wore for ceremonies at the Altar of the Moon.
Compare a vase of this type carved with birds and water lilies
on a slender body, sold in our Rome rooms, 13th January
1973, lot 141; another carved with birds perched amidst floral

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