Lot 11
11
PROPERTY OF AN AMERICAN ESTATE
A WELL-CARVED WHITE JADE TRIPOD CENSER AND COVER

Details
A WELL-CARVED WHITE JADE TRIPOD CENSER AND COVER
QIANLONG

The rounded body raised on three mask and paw supports, finely carved around the sides in crisp relief with two pairs of phoenix with long scrolling tail feathers, each pair confronted on a lotus and separated by the pair of bat handles, their outstretched wings spreading to the sides along the rim, with trailing vaporous clouds carved on the interior, the domed cover carved with a similar phoenix band below a reticulated cushion finial carved as a dragon clasping a flaming pearl, the well-polished stone translucent and of pale greenish-white tone, feet restored
8 1/8in. (21.6cm.) across handles

Lot Essay

The inspiration for the design of confronted phoenix can be found on bronzes of the Middle Western Zhou period as seen on two gui decorated with a design of two long-tailed birds with elaborate crests illustrated by Jessica Rawson in Western Zhou Ritual Bronzes from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, vol. IIB, Washington, D.C., 1990, p. 432, figs. 54.1 and 54.2, in the Musée Guimet and the Palace Museum, Beijing, respectively