A FINELY CARVED RETICULATED BOXWOOD RUYI SCEPTRE QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY

naturalistically carved in openwork with gnarled and entwining branches forming the curved shaft, the knotted and burled branches extending to form the head of the sceptre, the patina of a warm caramel-brown colour

Art of Chen, Taipei.

The ruyi sceptre is itself a symbol of longevity, and the presence of a lingzhi form reinforces this auspicious meaning. The lingzhi fungus, believed to have magical powers, is a type of fungi known as Ganoderme Lucidum named after its lobed appearance. In China, it has been used as medicine for thousands of years. The present sceptre is a particularly fine example, light in weight and naturalistic in its modelling. For another ruyi of comparable quality, see an example sold in these rooms, 10th April 2006, lot 1656.