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8063 (underside)
8063 Bats in particular were a popular motif to celebrate a happy occasion
AN EXCEPTIONAL PALE GREEN JADE MARRIAGE BOWL such as a wedding, since the character for bat 蝠 fu, is a pun for
Qianlong four-character mark, 18th/19th century wealth and happiness, 富 fu, and 福 fu. The present lot is exceptionally
The very pale, green-tinted stone smoothly hollowed as an open bowl, unusual in that finely carved bats are incorporated into the design not
carved in low relief around the exterior with a continuous scene of five as the handles but as the feet of the bowl: no other example featuring
cranes wading among luscious lotus fronds and blossoms, the rim this style of carving appears to have been published. It is striking that
with two stylized animal-heads each suspending a loose-ring handle, such skillful carving should be utilized for an area that is less easily
the interior plainly formed with a soft gleaming polish, and the bowl appreciated, but this serves to illustrate the dedication, imagination
raised on four feet finely carved as bats with outspread wings, carved and attention to detail that is so celebrated in Qing jade craftsmanship.
wood stand.
8 3/4in (22.3cm) wide
$60,000 - 100,000
十八或十九世紀 青玉雕鶴蓮池紋雙耳活環四足洗 The low relief carving of cranes and lotus is also rare: although other
《乾隆年製》楷書款 bowls are carved around the exterior, here the skilled craftsman has
chosen to use the freedom of the continuous scene inspired by nature
Large shallow bowls with two loose-ring handles carved from white to embellish and celebrate the individuality of the jade stone, rather then
or very pale green jade, such as the present lot, were deemed restricting himself to more typical formal or archaistic designs. A jade
very suitable as prestigious gifts at a wedding, hence their typical marriage bowl with a thickly lipped rim and low relief carving on the
designation as ‘marriage bowls’. Many feature pairs of butterflies, exterior is in the collection of the Freer Sackler Museum, Washington
bats or mythical beasts as the handles, the depiction of the animals or DC, accession number S1992.76. See also a pale green jade marriage
insects in pairs being suggestive of happy union. bowl from the collection of Scott L. Burdett, British Consul in China, with
related shallow carving on the exterior with freely-scrolling lotus, sold in
our London rooms, 17 May 2012, sale 20108, lot 40.
44 | BONHAMS
