Page 298 - Bonhams Chinese Art NYC Nov 9 2017

THE PROPERTY OF A NOBLEMAN 男爵藏品

246 Y
A VERY RARE WHITE JADE OPENWORK DOUBLE-SIDED ‘FIVE-
CLAWED DRAGON’ PLAQUE
16th century
Of oval form, intricately carved in openwork with a large sinuous
writhing five-clawed dragon amidst flames, the reverse similarly
carved in openwork with a striding dragon with finely detailed scales
and mane, all enclosed within a continuous border of whirling wispy
clouds, the stone of pale white tone, with zitan stand carved with five
auspicious bats amidst ruyi clouds, bearing the character 乙.
10.4cm (4 1/8in) wide. (2).

£5,000 - 7,000
CNY45,000 - 62,000

十六世紀 白玉鏤雕蟠龍紋佩

Provenance: a French private collection, and thence by descent

245 來源： 法國私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今

The present lot is exquisitely carved in openwork, unusually on both
sides. The skillful craftsmanship and representation of the five-clawed
dragon, suggest this would have been made for a high ranking
member of the Ming Imperial Court.

Capable of flying high in the sky and diving back in the sea,
dragons were, since the earliest phases of Chinese history, seen
as intermediaries between Heaven and Earth and empowered with
extraordinary powers that compared with those of the emperors.
Depictions of dragons with a splitting flaming mane behind their horns,
such as in the present lot, can be found on porcelain and lacquer
THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN 士紳藏品 wares dating to the second half of the 16th century.

245 Y The superbly carved zitan stand, specially made for the jade plaque,
was made during the Qianlong period. Its dynamic yet precise carving
A FINE WHITE AND RUSSET JADE OPENWORK PLAQUE in the prized wood, as well as the auspicious symbolism of the five
Ming Dynasty
Exquisitely carved in high relief with a long twisting chilong amidst bats wu fu amidst cloud scrolls, symbolising the the Five Blessings, are
reticulated leafy floral scrolls issuing two blooming peonies picked demonstrative of the exceptional craftsmanship achieved during the
out in russet, the stone of even pale white tone with some russet Qianlong reign. The combination of the specially commissioned zitan
inclusions, the plaque inset on top of the cover of the wood box stand and rare jade plaque, indicate that the present lot would have
most likely been kept in an Imperial ‘treasure’ box for the emperor’s
decorated with silver-wire inlay.
7.5cm (3in) wide. (2). appreciation and admiration. The character yi carved on the zitan
stand represents the second of the ten Heavenly Stems and is used to
denote where something is to be added.
£6,000 - 8,000
CNY53,000 - 71,000 Compare a related white and russet jade ‘dragon’ plaque, second half
16th/ early 17th century, illustrated in J.C.Y.Watt, Chinese Jades from
明 白玉帶皮鏤雕龍穿牡丹紋佩 the Collection of the Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, 1989, pl.51.

Provenance: a European private collection, and thence by descent A related white jade reticulated plaque, late 15th/ early 16th century,
carved with a five-clawed dragon, was sold at Sotheby’s London, 10
來源： 歐洲私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今 May 2017, lot 52.

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
296 | BONHAMS please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue.