18TH CENTURY

Details

A RARE WHITE JADE BOX AND COVER
18TH CENTURY
The cover finely carved in low relief with five bats, wufu, flittering amidst scrolling clouds, four of the bats suspending from their mouths a peach branch, a lingzhi stem, a tasseled wan and a stone chime, while the fifth bat bites the tassel pendent from the chime, all encircled by a solid line border, the sides of the cover carved with graduating lappets separated by partial reserves of a parasol, conch shell, victory banner and wheel, the box with two partial reserves of a lotus flower and an endless knot, separated by two full reserves of double fish and a treasure vase, together comprising the bajixiang, the box raised on a well-cut foot ring
5¾ in. (14.6 cm.) diam.

Provenance

Stanley Charles Nott Collection.

Literature

Stanley C. Nott, Chinese Jades in the Collection of Stanley Charles Nott, 1942, pp. 288-9, pl. LXII, no. 52.

Lot Essay

The finely carved decoration on the top of this box, the wufu, or the Five Blessings carrying the auspicious symbols of a wan emblem, a peach branch, a lingzhi stem and a stone chime (qing) either in or pendent from their mouths, convey many auspicious wishes, including 'ten thousand blessings, long life, a wish for clarity of mind when blessings arrive, and joy'. All of these combined with the bajixiang, the Eight Buddhist emblems, convey wishes for peace and many blessings.

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