AN AMBER 'DRAGON AND PHOENIX' BAMBOO VASE QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY |

finely carved in the form of two adjacent bamboo shoots with leafy shoots around the sides, one face carved in openwork with a phoenix standing on pierced rocks amongst peonies, the reverse with two stylised dragons clambering on rocks amongst further peony blooms, below a bird perched on the rim of the vase, the amber of a translucent honey-brown tone, wood stand

The vase is in good overall condition with minor bruises and shallow chips to the fragile extremities.
"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."

See a larger vase of this type, carved from amber of a more opaque colour (known in Chinese as mila), depicting crane, deer and lingzhi amidst two bamboos and stylised rock, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Xu Xiaodong, ‘Qingdai Gongting hupo yishu [The Art of Amber in the Qing Court]',Wenwu/Chinese Cultural Relics, 2011 (3), p. 84, pl. 12. Compare also an agate carving in the form of twin tree trunks with a crane admist lingzhi, bamboo and prunus, sold at Christie’s London, 20th April 1970, lot 192; and a smaller version, with a pair of phoenix admist pine, lingzhi and prunus, sold in these rooms, 30th October 1991, lot 333.