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Lot Essay
Despite the problems posed by a piece of quartz with so many different characteristics, as seen by the combination of the translucent pale beige ground (chalcedony), the orange-red, black and brown fern-like markings (dendritic chalcedony and other colored forms of chalcedony), and the solid area of orange-red carnelian, the carver has used the material with great intelligence and imagination, making maximum use of the color variations, creating a scene with a fan-tailed goldfish amongst lotus leaves, using the translucent milieu as the pond in which they both live. The dendritic markings around the shoulders and neck provide material for further flora floating at the surface of the pond, and the overall composition is testament to the inventiveness of the artist.
