Page 254 - Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art II
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THE PROPERTY OF A PRIVATE COLLECTOR (another view)
2396
A RARE YELLOW JADE ‘DRAGON AND Yellow jades are the rarest type among all
PHOENIX’ DOUBLE VASE nephrite jades, and it is very unusual to fnd
QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795) yellow jade vases of the same size and thickness
as the current vase. It is even rarer to fnd
The larger vase, of fattened hu-shape, yellow jade conjoined vases given that a large
has a cover surmounted by a recumbent amount of the precious material would have
mythical beast and is carved in high relief to be hollowed out to carve the object. A
with a chilong pursuing a faming pearl amidst similar example of a yellow jade conjoined vase
clouds, while the smaller, conjoined vase carved with dragon and phoenix formerly in the
of gu shape rises from the back of a phoenix Songzhutang Collection, was sold at Christie’s
with long tail feathers curled forward Hong Kong, 1 June 2011, lot 3594.
between its legs. The semi-translucent stone
is of pale yellow color with areas of light The motif of dragons clambering on an archaistic
russet and opaque pale brown color. vase was a popular design on 18th century
7º in. (18.4 cm.) high, box jades. One example is a yellow jade vase
decorated with chi dragons climbing up towards
$250,000-350,000 the undecorated cover from a base of jagged
rocks in the National Museum of History, Taipei,
252 and illustrated in Jade. Ch’ing Dynasty Treasures,
Taipei, 1997, no. 123. Another example is a
smaller yellow jade vase carved with chi dragons
in the Beijing Palace Museum and illustrated
in Zhongguo yuqi quanji, vol. 6, Qing dynasty,
1991, pl. 241.
清乾隆 黃玉雕龍鳳雙連瓶
