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Lot Essay
Vases of this design were produced during the Ming and Qing dynasties, although the original form would most likely have been found in bronze from the Han dynasty or earlier. The low relief patterns on the cylinders also suggest an archaistic influence, and in several Qing examples, the mark fanggu, 'imitating antiquity', is inscribed to further accentuate the relation with archaism.
The shape of this vase is sometimes known as 'champion's vase', an appellation translated from the Chinese, ying (eagle) and xiong (bear), describing the two beasts represented, but also forming the pun on the word for 'champion' or 'hero'. Alternatively, the vessel is also known as a 'nuptial cup', he jing bei, as it is believed that during the Ming dynasty, it was used as a ritual wine vessel during the wedding ceremony. The double cylinders were filled with wine to be drunk by the bride and groom as part of the marriage rites.
Several vessels of this type, dated to the Qialong period, have been published; one of white jade, in the Victoria and Albert Museum, is illustrated by J. Rawson, Chinese Jade throughout the ages, London, 1975, no. 442; another very similar to that example in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in Zhongguo Yuqi Quanji - 6 - Qing, Hebei, 1991, pl. 244. A closely-related spinach-green jade example bearing a da Qing Qianlong fanggu mark, is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum - 42 - Jadeware (III), Hong Kong 1995, pp. 184-5, pl. 151. See, also, the pale celadon jade example sold in Christie's New York, 13 September 2012, lot 1032 (458,500 U.S. dollars).
The shape of this vase is sometimes known as 'champion's vase', an appellation translated from the Chinese, ying (eagle) and xiong (bear), describing the two beasts represented, but also forming the pun on the word for 'champion' or 'hero'. Alternatively, the vessel is also known as a 'nuptial cup', he jing bei, as it is believed that during the Ming dynasty, it was used as a ritual wine vessel during the wedding ceremony. The double cylinders were filled with wine to be drunk by the bride and groom as part of the marriage rites.
Several vessels of this type, dated to the Qialong period, have been published; one of white jade, in the Victoria and Albert Museum, is illustrated by J. Rawson, Chinese Jade throughout the ages, London, 1975, no. 442; another very similar to that example in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in Zhongguo Yuqi Quanji - 6 - Qing, Hebei, 1991, pl. 244. A closely-related spinach-green jade example bearing a da Qing Qianlong fanggu mark, is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum - 42 - Jadeware (III), Hong Kong 1995, pp. 184-5, pl. 151. See, also, the pale celadon jade example sold in Christie's New York, 13 September 2012, lot 1032 (458,500 U.S. dollars).