Apart from tourmaline, rosaries were made of a variety of other precious and semi-precious material, such as jade and jadeite, lapis lazuli, coral, ruby, turquoise and fragrant wood. Comparable examples may be found in the National Palace Museum, Taibei, illustrated in Qingdai Fushi Zhanlan Tulu, Qing Dynasty Costume Accessories, nos. 65-71, no. 71 being the closest, strung with pink tourmaline beads. For jadeite and aquamarine examples in the Palace Museum, Beijing, cf. Qingdai Houfei Shoushi, Qing Dynasty Consort Jewellery, nos. 238 and 243, respectively.

Compare also with a pearl-inlaid aloeswood rosary sold in these Rooms, 26 April 1998, lot 534, and a turquoise and coral rosary offered in the present sale, lots 627 and 628.

(US$9,000-12,000)