A SUPERB AND RARE JADE 'CHILONG' CUP SONG DYNASTY |

of oval section, well worked with deep rounded sides resting on a short straight foot, the exterior of the body skilfully depicted in low relief with two chilong clambering sinuously, the stone of a pale beige colour marked with attractive russet mottles and striations

Spink and Son Ltd, London, c. 1966.
Bonhams London, 10th November 2011, lot 303.

The cup is in good condition with just minor surface wear, especially at the footring. The colour of the jade is a more attractive deeper beige-brown colour than in the catalogue photo, where it has emerged too bleached and white.
"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."

Jade vessels of this type are extremely rare, such examples firmly attributed to the Song dynasty are mostly preserved in public museum collections and virtually unseen in recent markets. Harmoniously worked with clean contours shaping into an oval vessel, with natural perfectly distributed russet inclusions demonstrating an abstract beauty, the present jade washer would have been a pleasing gem to the erudite connoisseurs amongst the literati society in the Song dynasty. A closely related bowl also attributed to the Song dynasty, with slightly shallower sides but almost identical decoration, is in the collections of John C. Ferguson, illustrated in Hiram W. Woodward, Jr, Asian Art in the Walters Art Gallery: A Selection, Baltimore, 1991, no. 20. Another burnt white jade washer, of near identical shape but carved with deer, from the Qing court collection and still preserved in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in Zhongguo yuqi quanji [Complete collection of Chinese jades], vol. 5, Shijiazhuang, 1993, pls 111 and 112.

Under the artistic leadership of Huizong Emperor, antiquarian studies amongst the elites and its simulation into art flourished in the Song dynasty. Confucius values and archaism in art were revisited, and the ceaseless pursuit of classic beauty reached an apex of sophistication. The rendering of the relief-carved chilong dragons on the present bowl bears close resemblances to those seen on Han dynasty jades. See a Han dynasty jade archer’s ring from the Palace Museum, Beijing, where the chilong is similarly worked with scrolled ears, double-bordered almond-shaped eyes, squared nose and sharp two-toed claws, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Jadeware (I), Hong Kong, 1996, pl. 188; and another similarly carved pendant from the collections of Christian Humann and Alan and Simone Hartman, illustrated in Robert Kleiner, Chinese Jades from the Collection of Alan and Simone Hartman, Hong Kong, 1996, pl. 29.

Whilst drawing inspiration from Han dynasty jades, the vivid enigmatic representation of the dragons on the present washer stands firmly a Song dynasty tradition. Such pattern can also be found on a group of Ding wares from the Song dynasty, as Jan Wirgin suggested in his article 'Sung Ceramic Designs' in The Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities Bulletin, vol. 42, Stockholm, 1970, fig. 13ab.

Handled cups of various shapes attributed to the Song dynasty, also decorated with archaistic dragons and fashioned from jade boulders of similar texture and quality, are recorded in the Palace Museum, Beijing, see The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Jadeware (II), Hong Kong, 1995, pls 102 and 111.