Page 149 - Bonhams Fine Chinese Art London Nov. 2019

The Property of a Lady 女士藏品

115
A WHITE AND RUSSET JADE ‘CICADA’
SNUFF BOTTLE
18th century
Expertly hollowed as a cicada with carapace and
folded wings crisply incised, the underside with
two pomegranates borne on gnarled branches, the
abdomen carved with notched ridges, the stone of
pale white tone with caramel-brown patches.
6.6cm (2 5/8in) long.

£3,000 - 5,000
CNY27,000 - 44,000

十八世紀 白玉帶皮蟬形鼻煙壺

Provenence: an English private collection,
and thence by descent

來源：英國私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今

The cicada has many auspicious meanings.
Traditionally they were considered pure because
they were thought to subsist on dew and lofty
because of their perch in high treetops. Cicadas
were also symbols of resurrection due to its
fascinating life cycle. Newly hatched insects drop
from branches to burrow into the ground, where
they nourish themselves on tree roots for as long as
seventeen years before emerging into the sunlight.
Then, they climb high into the trees, and their outer
skin splits open to allow the full-grown insects to 115
appear. This process was seen as an analogy for
the spirits of the dead rising on a path to eternal
existence in a transcendent realm.

116
A SMALL WHITE AND RUSSET JADE
CARVING OF A BOY
18th century
The pebble smoothly carved as a boy with loose
clothes, a jovial expression on his face beneath two
tufts of hair on his shaved pate, holding a large curling
plantain leaf with finely incised veins, the stone of pale
white tone with russet and cloudy inclusions.
6.5cm (2 1/2in) high.

£4,000 - 6,000
CNY35,000 - 53,000

十八世紀 白玉帶皮童子把件

Compare with a related white jade carving of a boy
and leaf, Qianlong, which was sold at Sotheby’s
Hong Kong, 27 May 2014, lot 39; see also a pale
green and russet jade carving of a boy, early Qing
dynasty, which was sold at Bonhams Hong Kong,
24 November 2013, lot 272.

116
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 | 147