Page 253 - Sothebys HK Dragon Emperor April 2024

By the Qing dynasty, the development of jade art reached 清代以來，尤其乾隆年間，玉雕工藝發展達到高峰，
an unprecedented peak during the Qianlong period under 除玉料開採外，雕刻技藝亦精益求精，玉匠經驗更加
the rule of the jade enthusiast the Qianlong Emperor, who 豐富，加之乾隆皇帝本人的大力推動，促使玉雕藝術
provided immense support to the specialists that later
became more experienced and skilful in mining and caving, 問鼎巔峰。此時期所製玉器樣式極多，特別是宮廷陳
producing an abundance of jade masterpieces, particularly 設用玉，然而緃觀各式宮廷陳設玉器，雖多見爐、
those intended for the use in the imperial court. Both 瓶、盒、洗等，美觀且實用，但相比而言，由於玉執
practical and decorative for interior spaces, incense burners, 壺製作工藝複雜，掏膛工藝比一般器皿難度大許多，
vases, boxes, ewers, bowls, washers, and parfumiers 其存世數量仍然較少。以北京故宮博物院明清藏品為
predominated jade vessels of the period, whereas jade ewers
remained limited due to the high degree of sophistication 例，據徐琳統計，附流的玉執壺僅只百餘件，明清兩
required for craftsmanship and the shortage of high-quality 朝各約佔半。
raw jade. The Palace Museum, Beijing, for instance, contains
a vast collection of fine jade vessels, yet only comprises 據《清宮內務府造辦處活計檔案》，雍正元年（1723
about a hundred ewers with spouts, roughly divided equally 年）已有玉壺製作，惟多乃收拾前朝遺留舊壺，據徐
between Ming and Qing periods, according to Xu Lin.
琳研究，整朝總共收拾前代及當朝所製玉壺不足三
As per the records of the workshops of the Qing imperial 十。到了乾隆時期，據檔玉壺製作數量較前顯著增
court, jade ewers were already produced in the first year 多，當中也有帶柄執壺的記載，相關記錄有如乾隆二
of the Yongzheng reign (1723), mostly limited to restoring
ewers remaining from previous reigns, still, fewer than thirty 十九年（1764年），閩浙總督楊廷璋進貢「白玉蓮花
jade ewers were made or restored during the entire period, 壺一件」。乾隆三十五年（1770年），又有製「白玉
according to Xu Lin. As documented, the production of 蓮花酒壺一件」，但大部分記錄特徵模糊，難與實物
jade ewers saw an evident rise during the Qianlong reign, 對應。細查清宮陳設檔案，雖有錄玉執壺，數量並不
including those with handles attached. Their features were, 多，佐證其製作之艱。如光緒年間檔案載西暖閣貯「
however, described too vaguely to find a match with the
surviving vessels. A closely related white jade ‘lotus’ teapot, 青玉蓮花式有蓋壺壹件（有缺有綹）」，養心殿又存
presented by the Viceroy of Min-Zhe Yang Tingzhang, is 「青白玉瓜瓞有蓋執壺一件」。
recorded to have been produced in the 29th year of the
Qianlong reign (1764). Another similar white jade ‘lotus’ 清宮舊藏的玉執壺中有三例清乾隆白玉壺，其選料、
wine ewer is mentioned in the 35th year of Qianlong reign 雕刻及打磨均能與本壺相媲美，大多或為乾隆年間同
(1770) archive. Despite checking carefully in the Qing court 時期雕製，但為瓜稜式壺身及羊首流。其一現藏北京
inventory, the number of jade ewers was extremely limited,
corroborating the difficulty in conjuring a fine jade ewer. 故宮博物院，載於《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集．
Among the rare recorded examples are one green jade 玉器》，香港，1995年，圖版216；另一件為約翰．
‘lotus’ covered ewer (with chips and fissures) preserved in 伍夫爵士（Sir John Woolf）舊藏，錄於《伍夫收藏
the Western Warmth Chamber, and a celadon jade ‘melon’ 中國玉器》，蘇富比，倫敦，2013年，編號59；第
covered ewer in the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
三例為美國名媛米莉森．羅傑斯（ Millicent Rogers）
The precision of the carving, texture of the polish and other 收藏，羅氏為宋美齡摯友，售於香港佳士得1996年4
key features including the related petal-form of the finial on 月28日，編號2，及香港蘇富比2017年10月3日，編號
the current teapot can be seen on three famous white jade
ewers likely created in the same period, all melon-shaped in 3613。然此三例壺身均見烤色，屬造辦處玉匠用以掩
form with a ram-head spout. One is in the Palace Museum, 瑕避綹所為。
Beijing, from the Qing court collection, illustrated in The
Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, 另見器形、玉質相近一例白玉執壺，2004年10月31日
Jadeware (III), Hong Kong, 1995, pl. 216. another from 售於香港蘇富比，編號233。其扁圓壺身造型與本壺
the collection of Sir John Woolf is illustrated in The Woolf 相似，惟本壺流成二彎式，曲線更加柔美，壺柄設計
Collection of Chinese Jades, Sotheby’s, London, 2013, cat.
no. 59; and a third, originally in the collection of Millicent 亦有所不同，壺鈕為單層菊瓣。拍賣會所見他例，如
Rogers (1902-1953), the American socialite and close friend 香港蘇富比1989年11月16日，編號612，造形更見稜
of Madame Soong Mei-ling, was sold at Christie’s Hong 角方正。
Kong on 28 April 1996, lot 2, and again in these rooms on
3 October 2017, lot 3613. Unlike the current teapot, these
ewers are all characterised by russet enhancements to
the surface, deliberately created in the Imperial Palace
Workshops to cover deficiencies in the stone.
See another closely related in form and quality to the current
example, which was sold in these rooms, 31st October 2004,
lot 233, which shares the same precision of form and quality
of the finish but with a less of a curve to the spout and a
single tiered chrysanthemum finial. See also another jade
teapot and cover but of more angular form, sold in these
rooms on 16 November 1989, lot 612.

248 FOR COMPLETE CATALOGUING 詳盡圖錄內容請瀏覽 SOTHEBYS.COM/HK1526 249