Page 185 - Bonhams Asian Art London November 5, 2020

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A SPINACH-GREEN JADE TRIPOD INCENSE
BURNER AND COVER
Qianlong
Superbly carved, the compressed globular body
carved on each side with a taotie mask in low relief
separated by notched flanges, reserved on a dense
and intricately incised leiwen ground, flanked by
a pair of S-shaped handles, supported on three
separately carved short lotus feet, the domed cover
with gently rounded sides similarly carved with
taotie masks, surmounted by a large circular finial
reticulated with a coiled dragon amidst scrolling
clouds, the stone of dark-green tone with dark
striations. 18.1cm (7 1/8in) wide (2).
£4,000 - 6,000
CNY35,000 - 53,000
清乾隆 碧玉雕獸面紋三足出戟蓋爐

Provenance: a Swiss private collection
來源：瑞士私人收藏
Inspired by the shape and decoration of archaic
bronze gui food vessels of the Zhou dynasty, the
present vessel is a fine example of the stylistic
developments during the 18th century inspired by the
wishes of the Qianlong emperor. Aiming to ‘restore
the ancient ways’, the emperor wished to reinstate
the intrinsic qualities of simplicity, sincerity and
happy exuberance of the ancient cultures. For this
purpose, the emperor instructed the Court to collect
drawings of antiquities, such as the ‘Catalogue of
Xiqing Antiquities’ (Xi Qing Gu Jian 西清古鑑), which 182
served as sources of designs for the production
of contemporary vessels. See Chang Li-tuan, The
Refined Taste of the Emperor: Special Exhibition
of Archaic and Pictorial Jades of the Ch’ing Court,
Taipei, 1997, pp.49-50. Compare with a related
spinach-green jade tripod incense burner and cover,
Qianlong, said to have come from the Summer
Palace, Beijing, illustrated by S.C.Nott, Chinese Jade
throughout the Ages, Rutland, 1971, pl.CXVIII. A
related spinach-green jade incense burner and cover,
Qianlong, was sold at Bonhams London, 11 May
2017, lot 237.

183
AN ARCHAISTIC JADEITE INCENSE BURNER
AND COVER, FANGDING
Qing Dynasty
Of tapering rectangular section, carved on each main
side with a taotie mask, supported on four slightly
spreading legs decorated at the upper register with a
stylised bird, flanked by a pair of tall flared rectangular
handles, surmounted by a trapezoidal cover similarly
decorated with masks, with a chrysanthemum
shaped hollowed finial, the stone of greenish-
chestnut tone. 11cm (4 5/16in) wide (2).
£1,500 - 2,000
CNY13,000 - 18,000
清 翡翠仿古饕餮紋方鼎
Provenance: a Spanish private collection, and
thence by descent
來源：西班牙私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今

183

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue. FINE CHINESE ART | 183