A FINE WHITE JADE ‘BAJIXIANG’ MARRIAGE BOWL QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD

finely carved with rounded sides supported on five splayed ruyi feet, the lipped rim flanked by a pair of dragon mask handles with flaring nostrils and rounded eyes, their mouths each issuing a loop suspending a loose ring, the exterior delicately carved in low relief with the beribboned bajixiang, all above a lappet band enclosing trefoil motifs, the stone of an even white tone suffused with faint russet veinings, wood stand

In very good general condition, with several natural stone flaws and russet veining to the stone. Three small chips to the horns of the mythical beast handles (the largest measuring 2mm) and one shallow rim chip (3mm wide).
"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."

Elegantly carved in low relief with the bajixiang against a finely finished plain ground, this marriage bowl exemplifies the high level of craftsmanship attained by jade carvers in the Qianlong period. Marriage bowls were popular during this period, and the production of such vessels was only possible due to the quantity of large high-quality jade boulders that were available during Qianlong’s reign. They take their name from the auspicious imagery, the designs of which varied greatly, which allude to felicitous wishes for a long and happy married life and were thus often presented on the occasion of a wedding.

 

Examples of marriage bowls carved with the bajixiang include one sold in these rooms, 18^th October 1960, lot 153; another, but with an incurved rim, from the collections of Ogden Reid, Helen Rogers Reid and George L. Kroll, sold in our New York rooms, 21^st May 1971, lot 402, and again, 18^th March 2014, lot 303; and a third sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 29^th September 1992, lot 761, and again, 29^th May 2013, lot 3213.

 

Compare also a white jade marriage bowl modelled with similar dragon-head handles, in the De An Tang collection, included in the exhibition A Romance with Jade, Palace Museum, Beijing, 2004, cat. no. 7; and one of lobed form with mythical beast-shaped handles, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Chinese Jades. Qing Dynasty, vol. 6, Shijiazhuang, 1993, pl. 314