A rare Imperial spinach jade 'phoenix' jar, Qianlong seal mark and of the period. Photo: Bonhams

The rich dark green stone superbly and unusually shaped as a globular vase raised on a low spreading foot, the exterior carved with three regularly-spaced phoenix each with the head facing proudly outwards from the mouth of the vase and clutching a small bead in the beak, above an elegantly curving neck and spreading stylised wings spreading over the body incised with archaistic scrolls. 12.7cm (5in) wide. Estimate £50,000 - 80,000 (€61,000 - 98,000)

Provenance: a European private collection formed during the first half of the 20th century, and thence by descent

Notes: An earlier prototype from the Tang dynasty for this unusual form of jade vase is illustrated in Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade 5: Tang, Song, Liao, Jin and Yuan Dynasties, Beijing, 2011, no.1. However it appears that the inspiration for the form may stretch back further into ancient Chinese history: in Chinese Jades Throughout the Ages - Connoisseurship of Chinese jades, Vol.II, pp.136-7, no.68, Li illustrates another 18th century example of the vase, but also notes that 'this piece imitates a style of turtledove decoration from the Han period.'

A similar design of vase, also of spinach jade and with a Qianlong mark and of the period, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, is illustrated in Masterworks of Chinese Jade in the National Palace Museum, Supplement, Taipei, 1973, no.41. Another example but of pale green jade but also with an incised and gilt Qianlong mark and of the period, in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade 10: Qing Dynasty, Beijing, 2011, no.99; this example also has a low cover shaped as a lotus pod.

A smaller celadon jade 'phoenix' jar (8.3cm high), with a Qianlong mark and of the period, and in style closely related to the Tang dynasty jar in the Palace Museum, Beijing, op.cit., no.1, was sold at Sotheby's Paris, 13 June 2012, lot 96.

Bonhams. FINE CHINESE ART. London, New Bond Street, 15 May 2014 - http://www.bonhams.com/