Page 82 - Youngman jade Collection Hong Kong March 3 2019 Sotheby's

3431
A YELLOW AND RUSSET JADE FIGURE OF AN ELEPHANT
SONG – MING DYNASTY
the recumbent animal with its tail curled alongside its rear haunch with wrinkled skin, its head turned to one side, with flap ears
folded on either side of its slit eyes, and a pair of curved tusks flanking a curled trunk, the stone of a yellowish celadon tone suffused
with golden russet patches

宋至明 黃玉卧象
5.4 cm, 2⅛ in.
HK$ 250,000-350,000
US$ 31,900-44,700

The carver of this elephant figure has produced a fine naturalistic sculpture, with the body skilfully fashioned and perfectly
balanced. Small jade animal sculptures, generally carved in a reclining or seated pose, were made for the scholar’s studio and
used as paperweights.
A smaller yellow and brown jade elephant formerly in the collection of Dr Ip Yee collection, attributed to the 15th/16th
century, included in the exhibition Chinese Jade Carving, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong 1983, cat. no. 151, was sold
at Christie’s New York, 20th/21st March 2014, lot 2481. Compare also a russet jade figure of an elephant and boy, attributed
to the Yuan to Ming dynasty, from the collection of H.R.H. Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, sold at Christie's Paris, 10th
December 2014, lot 5, and again in these rooms, 3rd October 2017, lot 3758.

80 SOTHEBY’S