AN INSCRIBED SOAPSTONE ‘PEACH’ CUP QING DYNASTY, DAOGUANG PERIOD, DATED TO THE WUXU YEAR (IN ACCORDANCE WITH 1838)

the vessel skilfully carved in the form of a half-peach, the handle exquisitely modelled on one side of the peach-shaped vessel as a thin gnarled branch bearing the fruit and extending downwards and enveloping the base of the vessel, issuing attendant clusters of peaches and floral blossoms, engraved in lishu with two four-character inscriptions below the rim reading danqing lüye (‘Like the bright green leaves painted here’) and shou erqie kang (‘Longevity and health’), the underside in kaishu with Huaishui shanfang ('Cherish Water Studio'), wuxu mengchun zhi ('In place the first month of Spring of the wuxu year), the soapstone of a greyish-green colour with pale streaks

Maria Kiang Chinese Art, Hong Kong, 2007.

Skilfully carved in the form of a half-peach, this cup is closely related to lot 15 in this sale, and appears to have been made by the same hand or workshop active in the early 19th century.