A PAIR OF WHITE JADE QUAIL-FORM BOXES AND COVERS
A PAIR OF WHITE JADE QUAIL-FORM BOXES AND COVERS

QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795)

Details
A PAIR OF WHITE JADE QUAIL-FORM BOXES AND COVERS
QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795)
Each quail is naturalistically carved seated with its taloned feet tucked under the plump body, the upper half forming the cover fitting perfectly along the scalloped edges on the box, and the plumage incised with minute details. The semi-translucent stone is of an even white tone with russet inclusions.
4 5/8 in. (11.8 cm.) long (2)
Provenance
Sold at Christie's Paris, 14 June 2006, lot 55

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Nick Wilson
Nick Wilson

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Lot Essay

Quails are considered auspicious birds as their name an provides the homophone for 'peace'. Two quails can be read as shuang'an, or 'double peace', and thus, these birds often appear as pairs on paintings, porcelains and textiles from as early as the Song dynasty.

Compare to pairs of quail boxes of this type: the first of white jade, illustrated by Ip Yee, Chinese Jade Carving, Hong Kong Museum of Art, 1983, no. 196; a pair carved from brownish-yellow jade, illustrated by James Watt, Chinese Jades from the Collection of the Seattle Art Museum, Washington, 1989, no. 73; a white jade pair from the collections of T.Y. Chao and Alan and Simone Hartman, sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 30 November 2011, lot 3029; and another similar pair sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 30 May 2012, lot 4110.

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