Page 110 - Bonhams Hong Kong The Skinner Moon Flasks
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The Qianlong emperor’s conquest of the Dzungar Khanate, now The present bowls are particularly rare because of the Qianlong
known as Xinjiang, between 1755 and 1759, permitted a larger Imperial reign marks incised on their base, and more so for the use of
quantity of jade to be sent to the Qing court; and with that, the the additional character mark. Compare two other undecorated jade
opportunity for careful selection of the highest-quality material for the bowls, Qianlong marks and period with an additional Jia-character
use of the emperor. mark, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, the first of identical size
(acc.no.GY000742N), and the second, of slightly smaller size (acc.
The exceptional quality of the white jade stone, smoothly polished to no.GY000583N). A further similar white jade bowl, Qianlong mark and
a lustrous sheen, would have made any embellishment superfluous. period with an additional jia character, is illustrated in Ming and Qing
Perfectly proportioned, these bowls, exquisitely matched in colour Chinese Arts from the C.P. Lin Collection, Hong Kong, 2014, pl.130.
and polish, exemplify the finest jade craftsmanship accomplished in
the jade ateliers during the celebrated reign of the Qianlong emperor. See also a pair of white jade bowls, Qianlong seal marks and period
Compare a similar pair of white jade bowls, 18th century (14.5cm (13cm diam.), from the Andrew K.F. Lee collection, illustrated by Tina
diam.), unmarked, in the British Museum, illustrated by J.Rawson, Yee-wan Pang and Jane Sze, eds., Virtuous Treasures: Chinese Jades
Chinese Jade from the Neolithic to the Qing, London, pl.29:13, where from the Scholar’s Table, Hong Kong, 2008, pl.31.; and another white
the author notes that undecorated jade vessels in porcelain shapes, jade bowl, Qianlong, unmarked, illustrated in The Splendour of Jade:
as here, probably represented the highest quality in eating and The Songzhutang Collection of Jade, 2011, pl.152. Compare also a
drinking utensils. pair of pale green-white jade bowls, Qianlong, unmarked, in the British
Royal collection, presented by the Guangxu emperor on the occasion
of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897, illustrated by J.Ayers,
Chinese and Japanese Works of Art in the Collection of Her Majesty
the Queen, vol.III, London, 2016, p.762, nos.1798-1799.
A similar pair of white jade bowls, 18th century, without a mark, was
sold at Sotheby’s London, 14 May 2014, lot 23.
