A WHITE JADE VASE AND COVER QING DYNASTY, 19TH CENTURY

of flattened baluster form, flanked by mythical beast handles suspending loose rings, the lower section carved to both sides in high relief with egrets in a lotus pond, the domed cover carved with a band of ruyi, below a separately carved oval finial, with bands of lappets, the stone of an even white tone with some inclusions.

This vase and cover is in good condition, but there is a 4cm flaw running diagonally from the rim to one side.
"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."

A vase of this type, carved in relief and openwork with a lotus pond motif, was included in the exhibition A Romance with Jade from the De An Tang Collection, Palace Museum, Beijing, 2004, cat. no. 36; one in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, is illustrated in James C.S. Lin, The Immortal Stone. Chinese Jades from the Neolithic to the Twentieth Century, London, 2009, p. 134 (lower right); another was sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 5th November 1996, lot 1047; a fourth was sold at Christie’s London, 16th December 1996, lot 147; and a further vase was sold at Christie’s New York, 20th September 2013, lot 1687. 

The motif on this vase is steeped in auspicious symbolism, as depictions of egrets (lu) in a lotus pond express the auspicious wish yilu shunfeng (‘May you fly with the wind’).