QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795)

Details

A WHITE JADE MARRIAGE BOWL
QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795)
The elegantly executed bowl is carved with rounded sides leading to an incurved rim and is supported on four low ruyi-head feet. The rim is flanked by a pair of loose-ring openwork handles carved as dragons with their wings outstretched decorated with archaistic openwork design. Each head is carved with bulging eyes beneath pointed ears and a single horn, the jaws open to reveal a scrolling tongue. The lustrous stone is of a pale greenish-white tone highlighted with warm russet patches.
9 ½ in. (24 cm.) wide, box

Provenance

Sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 2 May 2005, lot 701
Sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 8 April 2011, lot 3224

Brought to you by

Priscilla Kong

pkong@christies.cpm +852 29789958

Lot Essay

Marriage bowls were often presented to couples as wedding gifts, symbolising the joyful union of husband and wife. The finely carved archaistic winged dragons convey a sense of strength and power.

Compare to similar slightly larger white jade marriage bowls with winged dragon handles and ruyi-form feet, one sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 1 December 2009, 2010, another at Christies Hong Kong, 30 May 2012, lot 3959, and a further bowl carved to the interior with chrysanthemum sold at Christie’s London, 10 November 2015, lot 88.

Refer also to a marriage bowl decorated to the exterior with lotus illustrated in Li Jiufang, Zhongguo Yuqi Quanji: Qing,
vol. 6, Hebei, 1991, p. 215, pl. 314-315.

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