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Lot Essay
The conch shell, luo, is an important symbol in Buddhism and is one of the Eight Buddhist Emblems, bajixiang. It is seen as a symbol of the Voice of the Buddha and the transmission of Buddhist teachings, and is particularly associated with Tibetan Buddhism, of which the Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong were devout adherents.
It seems to have been in the 18th century that the production of elaborately carved conch shells reached its peak. There are ten white conch shells in the collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei, two of which are illustrated in Monarchy and Its Buddhist Way - Tibetan-Buddhist Ritual Implements in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1999, pp. 154-5, no. 65.
During the Qing dynasty, rare examples of the conch form were also made in other, more expensive, materials. For example, a metal conch shell with cloisonné enamel decoration, dating to the Qianlong reign, was sold at Christie’s Hong Kong in May 2008, lot 1870. However, very few conch shell forms appear to have been made in jade. This is probably because fine jade, especially fine white jade which would have been the most desirable for the conch shell form, was a particularly precious material, and the form of the shell would have necessitated the cutting away of quite a significant amount of jade in order to achieve as satisfying a shape as is seen in the current vessel.
It seems to have been in the 18th century that the production of elaborately carved conch shells reached its peak. There are ten white conch shells in the collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei, two of which are illustrated in Monarchy and Its Buddhist Way - Tibetan-Buddhist Ritual Implements in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1999, pp. 154-5, no. 65.
During the Qing dynasty, rare examples of the conch form were also made in other, more expensive, materials. For example, a metal conch shell with cloisonné enamel decoration, dating to the Qianlong reign, was sold at Christie’s Hong Kong in May 2008, lot 1870. However, very few conch shell forms appear to have been made in jade. This is probably because fine jade, especially fine white jade which would have been the most desirable for the conch shell form, was a particularly precious material, and the form of the shell would have necessitated the cutting away of quite a significant amount of jade in order to achieve as satisfying a shape as is seen in the current vessel.