Lot 137. A 'chicken-bone' jade 'Eight Buddhist Emblems' ruyi sceptre, 19th century; 42cm (16½in) long. Estimate HK$100,000 - 150,000. Sold for £18,750 (€22,490). Photo Bonhams.

The heavy sceptre formed with a lingzhi fungus-shaped head carved with a shou character surrounded by the parasol, the vase, the fish and the lotus flower, the boldly curving shaft with the victory banner, the endless knot and the conch, and the wheel of fire at the tip. 

Provenance: Charles Brooking Compton (1876-1935), and thence by descent
A European private collection, no.CAM 42

Note: The Qing Court Collection includes several related jade ruyi sceptres carved with the Eight Buddhist Emblems, bajixiang, Qing Dynasty, illustrated in Zheng Xinmiao, ed., Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum - Jade, Qing Dynasty, vol.8, Beijing, 2010, pls.64-65, and 78; this demonstrates the popularity in the Imperial Court for jade ruyi in general and for this auspicious subject matter in particular. The colour of the jade was inspired by archaic jade and would have further represented the wish to emulate the morals of the earlier periods advocated by the Qianlong Emperor.

Bonhams. FINE CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART, Hong Kong, Admiralty, 26 May 2014