A Spinach-green Jade 'Marriage' Bowl. Qing dynasty, 18th century
A Spinach-green Jade 'Marriage' Bowl. Qing dynasty, 18th century. Photo Sotheby's
well-carved with rounded sides raised on four shallow feet, the center of the interior in high relief with a pair of catfish swimming among chrysanthemum flowers with a pair of intricately carved bat and chrysanthemum blossom handles to either side, the exterior with the 'Eight Buddhist Emblems'. Width 10 1/2 in., 26.7 cm - ESTIMATION 70,000-90,000 USD
PROVENANCE: Collection of Mr. Ogden Mills Reid (1882-1947).
Collection of Mrs. Helen Rogers Reid (1882-1970).
Sothebys Parke-Bernet New York, 21st May 1971, lot 402.
Collection of George L. Kroll, Houston, Texas from 1971-1995 and thence by descent
NOTE DE CATALOGUE: Large 'marriage' bowls of this type typically bear symbols relating to marital bliss and blessing, such as the pair of catfish, chrysanthemum and bat on the present piece, which form the rebus "May you have happiness year after year after year."The combination of two catfish with chrysanthemums can be seen on the interior of a dark green 'marriage' bowl exhibited at the Minnesota Museum of Art illustrated in Jade as Sculpture Minnesota Museum of Art, 1975, no. 52.
The theme of chrysanthemums, but without the catfish, can be seen on a dark spinach jade 'marriage' bowl in the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco illustrated in René-Yvon Lefebvre d'Argencé, Chinese Jades in the Avery Brundage Collection,The de Young Museum Society, 1972, p. 138, pl. LXII.
Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, New York | 11 sept. 2012 www.sothebys.com