AN UNUSUAL CELADON AND RUSSET JADE 'BIXIE' WATER DROPPER MING DYNASTY

the mythical beast crouching low on its paws raising its head, with a large grinning mouth, bulging eyes framed by striated eyebrows, flaming haunches and a bifurcated tail, its curved body detailed in low relief with writhing chilong and taotie masks, and further hollowed and pierced with an aperture on its back and through its mouth, the base inscribed in archaic seal script xi ming shui run ci yuan ('crystal clear water should facilitate literary writing'), the pale celadon stone picked out with russet veins and snow flake inclusions

Sotheby's London, 16th June 1999, lot 833.
The Songzhutang Collection.

The Splendour of Jade, The Songzhutang Collection of Jade, Hong Kong, 2011, no. 88.

There is some minor nibbling to the edge of the carving, a tiny nick to the edge of one sharpened toenail, but overall the water dropper is in quite good condition.
"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."

Jade water droppers of this type include one in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, published in Ming Wilson, Chinese Jades, London, 2004, pl. 65; one sold in our London rooms, 13^th/14^th November, lot 113; another sold in these rooms, 8^th April 2010, lot 1915; and a fourth example sold at Christie’s New York, 20^th September 2005, lot 14.

The 16^th-century writer Gao Lian recorded a white jade water dropper in the form of a bixie made by the celebrated carver Lu Zigang of Suzhou. Described as archaic in design with a hollow body and inlaid with turquoise, water droppers such as the present piece were probably inspired by Lu’s vessel (see James C.S. Lin, The Immortal Stone. Chinese Jades from the Neolithic Period to the Twentieth Century, Cambridge, 2009, p. 57).

This water dropper reflects the thriving jade production of the Ming dynasty due to the growth of capitalism and the loosening of restrictions on jade carving. Jade became less associated with items for ritual use and was increasingly employed for everyday objects by the court and wealthy class, such as pieces for the scholars’ desk, eating and drinking vessels and ornamentation on clothing. Collecting antique jades also grew in popularity thus influencing the style and aesthetics of the Ming period, as seen in the Han-inspired form and decoration of the present piece.