AN UNUSUAL SMALL SOAPSTONE BUTTERFLY-FORM BOX AND COVER

QING DYNASTY (1644-1911)

Details

AN UNUSUAL SMALL SOAPSTONE BUTTERFLY-FORM BOX AND COVER
QING DYNASTY (1644-1911)
The ivory-colored cover finely carved as two confronted butterflies flanking a recessed flower, their wings finely incised with flower scrolls as are the sides and interior of the box which is carved from variegated stone of red, beige and grey color
3¾ in. (9.5 cm.) across

Provenance

Christie's, Hong Kong, 22-23 March 1993, lot 560.
Shuisongshi Shanfang Collection.
Bloch Collection; Sotheby's, Hong Kong, 23 October 2005, lot 105.

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Lot Essay

Another small soapstone box carved with confronted butterflies on the cover is illustrated in Oriental Works of Art, Gerard Hawthorn Ltd., London, June 2003, no. 77. The cover of this latter box is variegated, not ivory color like the present cover.

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