Page 30 - Christie's London May 14, 2019 Important Chinese Jades

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A RARE AND FINELY CARVED WHITE JADE DRAGON It is very rare to fnd a jade dragon of this design. As a powerful symbol of
17TH CENTURY OR EARLIER the Son of Heaven, the proud stance and elegant posture of this beast are
skilfully executed by the lapidary. The heads of two gilt bronze models of
The mythical beast is fnely carved and pierced with double horns, seated on
its haunches. It has an alert expression, a long snout and its long mane is fnely dragons, dated to the Tang Dynasty, portray very similar characteristics to
detailed and swept back. Its sinuous body is elegantly modelled and its tail is the current lot, defned by an elongated snout, upright horns and backswept
ficked up over its arched back and meets the long mane. mane; see C. Michaelson, Gilded Dragons: Buried Treasures from China's
2⅜ in. (6 cm.) high Golden Ages, London, 1999, nos. 52 & 53. An early Yuan Dynasty example
of a jade dragon modelled in a similar pose is in the collection of the Palace
£30,000-50,000 US$40,000-66,000
Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Zhongguo yuqi quanji - Sui, Tang-Ming, vol. 5,
€36,000-58,000
Hebei, 1991, no. 166, p. 109.
PROVENANCE:
The Dizang Studio Collection, Taipei, acquired between 1970 and 1990.
十七世紀或更早 白玉龍
來源: 地藏山房珍藏，台北，於1970至1990年間入藏

(reverse)

28 In addition to the hammer price, a Buyer’s Premium (plus VAT) is payable. Other taxes and/or an Artist Resale Royalty
fee are also payable if the lot has a tax or λ symbol. Check Section D of the Conditions of Sale at the back of this catalogue.