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Lot Essay
The prominent long tail seen on the current birds identifies them as magpies. Although Qing dynasty quail-form boxes are relatively common, it is rare to see jade 'bird' boxes specifically in the form of a magpie.
Compare the current 'magpie' boxes to a pair in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, dated to the Qing dynasty, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Jadeware (III), Hong Kong, 1995, p.224, no. 183. These examples are of very similar form to the present boxes but are carved with lingzhi sprigs clasped in the beaks of the birds and inlaid with precious stones.
A single jade hardstone-inset 'magpie' box and cover, dated to the Qianlong period (1736-1795) was sold at Bonham's London, 13 May 2010, lot 13.
See also a quail-form box and cover, dated to the 18th-early 19th century, sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 29 May 2019, lot 3025.
Compare the current 'magpie' boxes to a pair in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, dated to the Qing dynasty, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Jadeware (III), Hong Kong, 1995, p.224, no. 183. These examples are of very similar form to the present boxes but are carved with lingzhi sprigs clasped in the beaks of the birds and inlaid with precious stones.
A single jade hardstone-inset 'magpie' box and cover, dated to the Qianlong period (1736-1795) was sold at Bonham's London, 13 May 2010, lot 13.
See also a quail-form box and cover, dated to the 18th-early 19th century, sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 29 May 2019, lot 3025.