18TH/19TH CENTURY

Details

AN UNUSUAL PALE GREYISH-GREEN JADE HINGED ORNAMENT
18TH/19TH CENTURY
Carved as two rectangular plaques with lobed corners that are joined by an angular loop carved in high relief with an open box of lingzhi, on which the dragon carved on one plaque and the phoenix on the other are confronted. The bottom of each plaque is carved with a spider. Together with a celadon-green jade bell-shaped pendant, possibly Ming dynasty, which is carved on the flattened sides with bands of archaistic design. The stone has some opaque buff mottling.
3 5/8 (9 cm.) wide; 3½ in. (8.7 cm.) long, box (2)

Provenance

Hinged ornament: Estate of Margaret W. Cushing, Newburyport, Massachusetts, and thence by descent within the family.

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Lot Essay

The form of the hinged ornament appears to be based on Yuan dynasty prototypes, such as the example, carved on both halfs with a chilong, illustrated in Zhongguo Yuqi Quanji, Sui, Tang Ming - 5 - Hebei, 1994, p. 113, no. 171. As with the present ornament the two halfs are joined by a loop.
The decoration on the present ornament would have made it a fitting wedding gift, as the dragon and phoenix represent a man and a woman, the lingzhi represents longevity, and spiders represent many sons, as they lay numerous eggs.

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