An extremely rare and possibly Imperial pair of yellow jade archaistic bangles Qing dynasty, Qianlong period

each bangle carved in the form of a slender archaistic dragon chasing its curling tail, a chilong and a rat clambering up its slightly sinuous body accented with scrolling motifs, the stone of translucent greenish-yellow colour heightened with occasional patches of russet

The bangles are in very good condition overall.
"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."

Bangles such as the present lot are extremely rare.  The theme of a dragon or snake forming a ring and grasping or touching its tail with its mouth is rarely encountered in jade, and appears to be based on works attributed to the Warring States and Han periods.  A carved jade fluted ring with the head of a mythical beast touching its 'tail', approximately 3 inches in diameter, attributed to the Han Dynasty, is illustrated in Max Loehr and Louisa G. Fitzgerald Huber, Ancient Chinese Jades from the Grenville L. Winthrop Collection in the Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1975, no. 578, p. 399.