A FINELY CARVED WHITE JADE WATER COUPE

Details

A FINELY CARVED WHITE JADE WATER COUPE
QING DYANSTY, 18TH CENTURY

The large boulder carved in the round as four large ripe peaches growing from a knarled stem serving as the handle, the leafy branches enveloping the fruit with five bats circling around, their wings outstretched, the largest peach serving as the hollowed water container covered by a domed lid carved in relief with two further confronted bats, the stone of a well-polished translucent even white tone
5½ in. (14 cm.) wide, stand

Literature

Robert Kleiner, Chinese Jades from the Collection of Alan and Simone Hartman, Hong Kong, 1996, no. 102

Exhibited

Christie's New York, 13-26 March 2001
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, August 2003 - December 2004

Lot Essay

The decoration on the present carving carries many auspicious greetings. The peaches are symbols of longevity, as they are associated with the Daoist deity, Shoulao, the god of longevity; while the five bats represent the Five Blessings of longevity, health, wealth, love of virtue and a peaceful death. Together, the bats and peaches form the rebus fu shou shuang quan, a wish for happiness and long life.

While a number of carvings 'peach and bat' groups have been published, it is rare to find one modelled as a water coupe. Compare a peach and bat group form the Collection of Alan and Simone Hartman sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 28 November 2006, lot 1398. Another sold at Christie's London, 3 May 1978, lot 154 and was recently exhibited by S. Marchant & Son, Chinese Jades from Han to Qing, London, 2005, Catalogue no. 9.

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