Page 254 - Bonhams asian Art Knightsbridge May 2018

PROPERTY FROM A DISTINGUISHED EUROPEAN PRIVATE
COLLECTION OF JADE AND HARDSTONE BOATS
(LOTS 715-735)

This unusual and comprehensive collection of Chinese mediums from paintings to works of art and porcelain, often
sampans, sailing boats and rafts is exceptionally diverse in associated with river and lakeside vistas, invoking the idyllic
the materials from which these are made, demonstrating nature retreat the literati would aspire to retire to. Fishermen
the breadth of prized materials available for carving and also represent one of the ‘Four Noble Occupations’ comprising
admired by connoisseurs throughout the mid to late Qing the Chinese four-layered traditional society (also including
dynasty. These include jade, jadeite, rock crystal, lapis lazuli, the woodcutter, farmer and scholar). An exceptional Imperial
agate, soapstone, rose quartz, aventurine glass, serpentine white jade carving and an aventurine glass carving, both to
and bowenite. In its entirety the collection numbers over be offered in Hong Kong, are rare in representing the Han
sixty maritime-subject carvings, each specially chosen dynasty statesman, traveller and explorer Zhang Qian, shown
and collected. This unique collection was formed by the floating down the Yangtze river on a raft to explore the Western
grandparents of the present owner, who collected Chinese Regions, Xiyu 西域, and known for later playing an integral
furniture, jade carvings and porcelain, acquired mostly from the role in establishing an east-west route opening China to the
1930’s to the 1950’s, from leading London and Paris dealers world of commercial trade and major trade routes such as
including in London John Sparks and Sydney L. Moss, and the renowned Silk Road. These carvings were likely inspired
in Paris L.Wannieck, Pierre Saqué, C.T. Loo, Michon and by the well-known silver example formerly in the collection of
Compagnie de la Chine et des Indes. The family sold part of Lady David, inscribed with a poem and artist’s seal Bishan
the collection with Bonhams in our New Bond St., London denoting Zhu Bishan, a silversmith active during the 14th
Rooms on 17 May 2012, lots 1-20, retaining the special century, illustrated in Chinese Art Under the Mongols: The
collection of Chinese jade and hardstone boats, offered now Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), Cleveland Museum of Art, 1968,
in our May 2018 sales in New Bond St. and Knightsbridge, no.37. Related carvings of jade sampans from the Qing
London and Hong Kong. The passion for collecting nautical Court Collection are still extant in the collection of the Palace
related carvings was no coincidence, as it combined the Museum, Beijing, and illustrated in The Complete Collection of
family passion for Chinese art with their occupation relating Treasures of the Palace Museum: Jadeware (III), Hong Kong,
to maritime trade. Chinese sampans and sailing boats are a 1995, no.32, and Compendium of Collections in the Palace
subject matter which features prominently in a wide range of Museum: Jade 8 Qing Dynasty, Beijing, 2010, no.125.

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