18TH CENTURY

Details

AN UNUSUAL SMALL WHITE JADE POUCH-FORM PENDANT
18TH CENTURY
Well carved as a curious monkey emerging from a large cloth pouch tied with a bow from which hangs a wan emblem, the monkey's attention held by a bee alighted on one end of the ribbon, the stone of even white color with some white inclusions and areas of russet skin used to highlight a bat on the reverse
3 1/8 in. (7.8 cm.) long

Provenance

Alsdorf Collection; Sotheby's, New York, 15 September 1999, lot 15 (part).

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Lot Essay

The word for monkey is a homophone for the word for 'duke' and the word for bee is a homophone for 'appointment'. The wan symbol stands for the number ten thousand but also represents infinite numbers, while the word for 'ribbon' sounds the same as the word for 'generations'. Put together, these elements form the rebus, wandai fenghou, 'may generations of your family receive official appointments.'

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