Page 106 - Bonhams Hong Kong The Skinner Moon Flasks

Image courtesy of the Palace Museum, Beijing
北京故宮博物院

The exquisite pair of ‘lotus’ boxes and covers, lian, epitomise the 白玉玉質，圓形，敞口，奩盒及蓋外皆飾雙層蓮花，每層八瓣，蓮蓬
highest level of craftsmanship achieved in the jade ateliers during the 形蓋鈕，旁邊鏤雕如意形蓮根，並各套一活環，蓮花式盒，淺圈足。
Qianlong reign. The superb auspicious design of lotus petals was left
unadorned, displaying the lustrous white jade stone. The present lot is 此對蓋盒玉質晶瑩，設計精煉簡潔，盒鈕、蓋及盒身皆以蓮花為形，
particularly rare for having been preserved as a pair, and for retaining 渾然一體，儒雅簡潔，含有「一品清廉」之意，極為特別。同式奩
the fragile loose-ring handles. 盒，鮮有著錄，成對者更不曾所見，見北京故宮博物院清宮舊藏一
例，尺寸、形制及玉質與此對玉盌相當，唯有九瓣雙層蓮花設計與之
A very similar white jade ‘lotus’ bowl and cover, lian, Qianlong mark 不同，見《故宮博物院藏文物珍品大系：玉器（下）》，上海，2008
and period, from the Qing Court collection, is illustrated in The 年，頁298，編號253。故宮博物院藏另外一例帶有雕刻的蓮瓣形蓮
Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Jadeware (II), 花紋奩盒，見《故宮博物院藏品大系：玉器編10》，北京，2010
Shanghai, 2008, p.298, pl.253. Compare also a very pale green jade 年，圖版122。另見一件清乾隆白玉雕蓮瓣形靈芝活環蓋盒，著錄於
‘lotus’ bowl and cover, lian, Qing dynasty, illustrated in Compendium G.Wills，《Jade of the East》，紐約，1972年，圖版71。
of Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade 10 Qing Dynasty, Beijing,
2010, pl.122. See also a related white jade lobed bowl and cover, with 此式蓮花奩盒可能早期玉雕影響，見北京故宮博物院藏一件宋代青玉
lingzhi suspending loose rings, Qianlong, illustrated by G.Wills, Jade of 蓮花紋盌，《故宮博物院藏品大系：玉器編5》，北京，2010年
the East, New York, 1972, pl.71. ，圖版69。

In design the present lot may have been inspired by earlier jade 香港佳士得曾售出一件清乾隆白玉蓮花活環蓋奩盒，2010年12月1日
vessels, such as the pale green jade ‘lotus’ bowl, Song dynasty, ，拍品3024。
illustrated in Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade
5 Tang, Song, Jin and Yuan Dynasties, Beijing, 2010, pl.69.

The lotus, one of the Eight Buddhist Emblems, represents purity,
which in the context of the present lot is further emphasised by the
outstanding quality of the white jade stone. The lingzhi fungus carved
around the finial in the cardinal directions is associated with longevity.

See a related white jade bowl and cover, Qianlong, which was sold at
Christie’s Hong Kong, 1 December 2010, lot 3024.

48 | BONHAMS