CHINE, DYNASTIE QING, XIXEME SIECLE

Details

VASE COUVERT ARCHAISANT EN JADE CELADON TRES PALE, TULU
CHINE, DYNASTIE QING, XIXEME SIECLE
The vessel is carved with a rectangular body and columnar corners rising from four waisted feet. The body is decorated with a band of interlocking stylised dragons chasing the flaming pearl, above a further band of petals, with a pair of dragon-head loose ring handles to the sides. The cover is surmounted by a pierced coiled dragon finial, surrounded by four further coiled chilongs to the corners. The stone is of an even pale tone with some minor milky inclusions.
6 ¼ in. (16 cm.) high, wood stand

Provenance

Acquired by a French collector in the 1970s in France, and thence by descent to the present owner.

Further details

A VERY PALE CELADON JADE ARCHAISTIC VESSEL AND COVER, TULU
CHINA, QING DYNASTY, 19TH CENTURY

Brought to you by

Fiona Braslau

fbraslau@christies.com 01 40 76 84 22

Lot Essay

This very distinctively shaped vessel was carved in imitation of an archaic bronze form, which was used to hold artist's materials. Coloured pigments were kept in the tubular compartments at each corner and subdivided by wooden compartments. The central compartment held a saucer and water for mixing the colours. For a discussion of the bronze prototypes, see Cheng Te Kun, 'The T'u-Lu Colour-Container of the Shang-Chou Period', B.M.F.E.A., no. 37, 1965, p. 239-249, pl. 1-6, where examples in jade, marble and pottery are also illustrated. Compare the current vessel with a similarly decorated jade tulu, dated Qing dynasty, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Jadeware (III), Hong Kong, 1995, p. 190, no. 156. Also see a similar tulu from the Leonard Gow Collection, which was sold at Christie's London, 15 May 2012, lot 198.

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