AN IVORY FIGURE OF SHOULAO, ZHANGZHOU SCHOOL MING DYNASTY, 17TH CENTURY

the bearded sage carved with a characteristic tall, bald, bulging head, standing in loose-fitting robes, gazing downwards with a gentle smile on his lips, clutching a fan in his right hand and a gnarled staff entwined with a tendril in the left, the ivory well patinated with an attractive creamy-yellow surface, wood and metal stand

Hugh M. Moss Ltd., London, April 1980.
Collection of Dr. and Mrs. Peter Plesch, Newcastle-under-Lyme, 1992.

There is a hole emerging at the top of the head of the hollow figure from the growth tip of the tusk. The front section of the bottom edge of the robe is chipped (showing in the illustration in the catalogue). There are expected age cracks, mostly visible on the bulging head.
"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."

Ivory carvings of the God of Longevity, Shoulao, were especially popular during the late Ming and early Qing periods, and a number of closely related examples to the present piece are known from important museum and private collections. The majority of these figures were made in the workshops located in Zhangzhou, Fujian province, where the most skilled carvers in this medium could be found. The linear style of carving, particularly noticeable in the depiction of the folding of robes, is said to be influenced by images found in woodblock prints; for example see illustrations of various immortals from the late Ming edition (AD 1600) of the Lie xian quanzhuang (The Complete Biographies of the Assorted Immortals), included in Chinese Ivories from the Shang to the Qing, London, 1984, figs. 11-14. Closely related carvings of Shoulao are published ibid., pls. 87, 90 and 96, from the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. For further reading on ivory carvings made in Zhangzhou see Colin Sheaf, 'Chinese Ivory Figures: The Chang-chou School of Carving', Arts of Asia, July/August 1984, pp. 128-137.