A superb Imperial 'Recumbent deer' agate box and cover. Yuwan mark and period of Qianlong. Photo Sotheby's

the translucent stone with natural patches of milky white and beige tones, the cover together with the box well carved in the round as a slender recumbent deer, the beast with almond-shaped eyes and branched horns extending back, its head sharply turned towards its short tail, its body covered in small stars divided by a slightly raised spine, the box supported on four folded feet terminating in powerful cloven hooves, the underside incised and picked out in gilt with two characters yuwan ('Imperial amusement') in seal script ; 14 cm., 5 1/2 in. Estimation 500,000-700,000 HKD. Lot vendu: 1,220,000 HKD

PROVENANCE: Acquired in Paris between the 1970s and the early 90s.

NOTE DE CATALOGUE: Superbly modelled in the round and skilfully hollowed to form a box, this piece is notable for the fine craftsmanship and high-quality agate stone, which is of an even and luminous milky hue. Agate is one of several hardstones that were valued as much as the finest quality jade and was treasured for its beautiful colouration and translucence. Ming Wilson in Chinese Jades, London, 2004, p. 96, notes that agate was worked by the Chinese craftsmen in the same way as jade.

The two-character yuwan ('for Imperial amusement') mark inscribed on the base was one of the highest designations assigned to objects for the Qianlong Emperor's personal use, along with yushang ('for imperial appreciation') and yuyong ('for Imperial use'). See a cylindrical jade seal paste box carved with a four-character seal mark Qianlong yuwan ('For the personal amusement of the Qianlong Emperor'), from the Robert Kleiner and Water, Pine and Stone Retreat collections, most recently sold in these rooms, 8th October 2009, lot 1810.

Agate vessels in the form of animals are relatively rare; see a slightly later box modelled as a goose amongst lotus fronds, sold in our London rooms, 31st October 1986, lot 288; and a bixi dragon water dropper sold in our New York rooms, 18th March 2008, lot 196.

Sotheby's. A Private Collection of Scholarly and Imperial Works of Art. Hong Kong | 04 avr. 2012 www.sotheby's.com