A CELADON AND RUSSET JADE RUYI SCEPTRE QING DYNASTY, 18TH – 19TH CENTURY |

the large ruyi-shaped terminal worked with a raised border enclosing a gnarled trunk with overhanging branches bearing Chinese evergreen, above a further fruiting spray issuing from the jagged ground, the lower end of the elongated arched shaft decorated in low relief with a bat with outstretched wings, above an aperture pierced to the lower edge to thread a tassel, the smoothly polished stone of an even pale celadon colour with traces of russet patches

Christie’s London, 13th May 2014, lot 150.

The sceptre is in overall good condition. A section of the lower end of the shaft has been lightly polished. The tassel is detached from the threaded knot.
"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."

This large sceptre is notable for the delicately carved scene of a leafy gnarled pipa (loquat) tree and a spray of wannianqing (Chinese evergreen) issuing from the ground. A sense of naturalism is achieved through the curling leaves and its softly rendered details and the bark of the tree. Jade sceptres decorated with this motif are rare, and only one other example with a closely related scene was sold in these rooms, 4th November 1997, and again at Christie’s New York, 24th March 2004. Compare also a smaller sceptre carved with Chinese evergreen and a prunus tree, sold at Christie’s New York, 26th March 2010, lot 1097. Further sceptres carved in low relief with plants include a larger example, depicting a fruiting peach branch and a bat suspending a ribbon-tied wan emblem on the head, from the collection of Sherry and Lawrence Philips, sold at Christie’s New York, 24th March 2004, lot 53; and another carved with peony flowers and a bat, sold in these rooms, 26th October 2003, lot 42. Jade boulders of such size were only made available after the Western campaigns of 1759, when the Manchu court gained control over areas of Khotan and Yarkand in present day Xinjiang. Since then, high-quality boulders of magnificent sizes from these regions were presented to the court as tributes and skilfully transformed to aesthetically pleasing works of art by jade artisans working in the Palace Workshops. A talisman presented to bestow good fortune, ruyi (literally meaning ‘as you wish’) sceptre is highly favoured at the Qing court for the auspiciousness embodied within its distinctive form resembling the immortality fungus, lingzhi. Its auspicious connotation is further reinforced through the decoration. Loquats, as harbingers of endless long life, represent abundance of offspring and plentiful blessings, while wannianqing (literally meaning ‘ten thousand year green’), with its evergreen characteristic and clusters of berries, symbolises longevity and fertility.