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AN IMPERIAL GILT-BRONZE HILTED KNIFE 清十八世紀 御製鎏金銅鏨蓮紋柄玉鞘匕首 PROPERTY FROM AN AMERICAN PRIVATE COLLECTION 清十八至十九世紀 青白玉雕福壽三多紋如意
AND WHITE JADE SCABBARD, QING DYNASTY, A LARGE CELADON AND RUSSET JADE
18TH CENTURY 來源 ‘SANDUO’ RUYI SCEPTER, QING DYNASTY, 來源
米莉森•羅傑斯（1902-1953年）收藏 私人收藏，1960年代購於亞洲，此後家族傳承
(2) Arturo Peralta Ramos II（1928-2015年）收藏 18TH - 19TH CENTURY
Length 13¾ in., 35 cm Length 15 in., 38.1 cm
PROVENANCE PROVENANCE
Collection of Millicent Rogers (1902-1953). Private Collection, acquired in Asia in the 1960s, and thence
Collection of Arturo Peralta Ramos II (1928-2015). by descent.
It is very rare to find a white jade scabbard with a gilt-
bronze handle, which represents a fine example of the high $ 30,000-50,000
standards of artistic production achieved in the 18th century.
There is an imperial gilt-bronze knife with a white jadeite
scabbard, but with a green jadeite pommel, sold in these
rooms, 23rd September 1997, lot 11, and again in these
rooms, 8th April 2009, lot 1704. Compare a knife of this type
with a jade handle and an intricately carved wood scabbard
depicting a flowering lotus scroll, from the collection of Dr. Ip
Yee, included in the exhibition Bamboo and Wood Carvings of
China and the East, Spink and Son Ltd, London, 1979, cat. no.
277 and sold in these rooms, 19th November 1984; another
with jade handle and diaper-carved bamboo scabbard, sold
at Christie’s New York, 21st September 2004, lot 76; and a
pair of slightly smaller knives with carved jade handles and
scabbards, sold in our London rooms, 7th June 1994, lot 138.
A similar gold knife with a white jade handle and inlaid gold
sheath was included in the exhibition Splendours of China’s
Forbidden City, The Field Museum, Chicago, 2004, cat. no.
248, and is pictured in situ, cat. no. 250.
The use of personal knives at meals was a mark of Manchu
identity. Manchu men were supposed to cut their meat
themselves so as to not fall into the decadent Han Chinese
habit of eating their meat pre-cut. When eating sacrificial
pork, women were also expected to cut up their own meat.
Knives with other eating utensils formed part of the dowries
of princesses and even maidservants (see the exhibition
catalogue ibid., pp 197-201).
This knife was formerly in the collection of Millicent
Rogers (1902-1953), a legendary socialite known for her
intelligence and beauty and was reputedly close with
Madame Soong Mei-ling (1897-2003). Millicent Rogers was
the granddaughter of Henry H. Rogers, who co-founded
Standard Oil with John D. Rockefeller and was a patron of
the famous American writer Mark Twain (1835-1910). Fluent
in six languages, Millicent translated Latin and Greek poetry.
She was also gifted in fashion and jewelry design. With
her privileged upbringing and artistic talents, Rogers was
a connoisseur and collector with a highly refined personal
taste.

$ 20,000-30,000

470 SOTHEBY’S COMPLETE CATALOGUING AVAILABLE AT SOTHEBYS.COM/N11744 471