Page 66 - Christies King St. FINE CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART

VARIOUS PROPERTIES

*107 The Zigang mark is after Lu Zigang, the renowned jade carver active in
Suzhou in the second half of the 16th century. Details of his life and career
A FINE SMALL WHITE AND RUSSET JADE ‘DRAGON’ PEBBLE are recorded by Zhou Nanquan, Gugong Shangyue Kan, 17, no. 1, who states
18TH CENTURY that Lu was a native of Taicang, Jiangsu Province. Lu Zigang was one of the
few Ming craftsmen of suficient renown that his name was recorded in
清十八世紀 白玉螭龍紋珮 contemporary texts. His works were referred to by the Ming scholar Wang
Shizhen, and they reportedly doubled in value on rumours that they were
The irregularly-shaped pebble is carved on one side in shallow relief with a being collected inside the Imperial Palace.
horned chilong dragon amidst stylised clouds. The pattern is repeated on the
reverse and is inscribed with a Zigang signature in seal script. The white stone
has extensive areas of russet inclusions.

2¿ in. (5.5 cm.) long

£15,000-20,000 $23,000-30,000
€21,000-27,000

108 See a yellow jade bird in a similar pose published in, Chinese Jades from Han
to Ch’ing, The Asia Society, New York, 1980, p. 96, no. 81.
A YELLOW AND RUSSET JADE MODEL OF A PHOENIX
LATE SONG - EARLY MING DYNASTY, 13TH/14TH CENTURY

宋-明 黃玉鳳凰把件

The reclining bird is carved with its crested head turned back to preen its
crisply incised feathers. The stone is of a semi-translucent yellow tone with
areas of dark caramel russet.

1æ in. (4.5 cm.) long

£6,000-8,000 $9,200-12,000
€8,200-11,000

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