A FINELY CARVED AND INSCRIBED WHITE JADE VASE QIANLONG PERIOD

the body of flattened ovoid form rising from a short spreading oval foot to a tapering oval neck and set at the shoulder with a pair of high relief lion mask handles suspending fixed rings, carved in low relief to the front and back face with pairs of sinuous chilong entwined with a serpent, all reserved on ground of incised and gilt variations on the shou character and within incised and gilt wan fret bands encircling the rim and foot

This exceptionally finely carved vase is in very good condition with the exception of some minute nicks to the edge of the rim and foot; light rubbing to the gilded decoration; and natural light and dark inclusions running through the stone.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The present vase represents the exceptional style and carving technique developed under the imperial patronage of the Qianlong emperor. The design of double-bodied dragons of varying lengths entwined like ribbons against a background of interspersed gilded variations of shou (long life) and wan (ten-thousand) characters while visually exciting and reminiscent of classical designs is stylistically contemporary.  

The Qianlong emperor's imperial jade collection surpassed that of any of his predecessors in quantity and quality. It is said that two-thirds of the more than thirty-thousand jade pieces in the Palace Museum today was acquired during his reign. His contribution to the improvement of jade crafting techniques and the connoisseurship of jades is undoubtedly remarkable. Qianlong insisted on examining every piece of jade presented to him and categorized them by shape, colour, quality and style. The present finely carved jade vase belongs to a special group of jade wares called fang gu often translated as 'imitating antiquity' or 'exemplifying antiquity'. Fang gu jades were made in a style that took archaic bronze vessel forms and designs as models. Ancient bronzes were generally made for ritual ceremonies and were valued for the precious material used. Qing pieces, however, were intended merely to refer to the past and were not used in any ceremony. They reflected the owner's respect for the classical as an exemplary period and were not associated with ancestor worship. Furthermore, beautiful copies of ancient designs suggested that the value of the past was not forgotten and that it was preserved in the present and served as a model.

This vase compares favourably to the famous hu-form vessel, similarly carved with the motif of entwined double-bodied dragons, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in many important publications such as The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Jadeware (III), Hong Kong, 1995, pl. 147, and in the Zhongguo yuqi quanji, vol. 6, Shijiazhuang, 1993, pls. 182 and 183. Further two jade vases, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, are carved with the double-bodied dragon motif, both included in The Refined Taste of the Emperor: Special Exhibition of Archaic and Pictorial jades of the Ch'ing Court, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1997, cat. no. 21 and 22.  See also a vase with related decoration, in the Tianjin City Museum collection, illustrated in Tianjin Shi Yishu Bowuguan cang yu, Hong Kong, 1993, pl. 191, attributed to the Ming dynasty.

See another celadon jade vessel of closely related flattened globular form, similarly carved with a pair of animal mask and ring handles on the shoulders published ibid., pl. 202, from the Palace Museum collection.

Incorporating shou and wan characters in the design is a Qing period invention and can be seen on ceramic wares, such as the magnificent Kangxi jar, from the Palace Museum, included in the exhibition China. The Three Emperors, the Royal Academy of Arts, London, 2006, cat. no. 302. It is noted, ibid., p. 469, that the 'one hundred shou (long life) characters (baishou zi) written in different forms, some adhering more closely to conventional seal script than others, are popular decorative birthday motif...the figure 10,000 (wan), the highest number for which a special term and character exist in Chinese, is generally used to indicate an infinite number, 10,000 shou characters signifying eternal life.' This would suggest that the present vessel was possibly made as an imperial birthday gift. 

The inspiration of this piece comes from Western Zhou period bronze vessels cast with the motif of interlaced bifurcated dragons and undulating wave bands. For example see a Western Zhou hu vessel in the National Palace Museum illustrated in the Catalogue of Western Chou Bronze Inscription in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 2001, pl. 116.