A rare white jade peach-form tripod brush washer, 18th century

24 août 2018

A rare white jade peach-form tripod brush washer, 18th century

Lot 955. A rare white jade peach-form tripod brush washer, 18th century; 4 ¾ in. (12.1 cm.) wide. Estimate USD 25,000 - USD 35,000. Price realised USD 93,750. © Christie's Images Ltd 2018.

Raised on three compressed 'flower bud' feet, the body is carved in relief on two sides with an archaistic dragon above clouds that rise from the underside. A musical chime carved at one side of the mouth suspends a ribbon-tied triple lozenge on the side below and also 'suspends' a large openwork shou (longevity) character that spans the interior of the vessel and is hung with tassels that fall on either side of the gently rounded spout on the opposite side. The well-polished, semi-translucent stone is of even white color with some added russet markings on the underside..

Literature: Joan Hartman, Three Dynasties of Jade, Indianapolis Museum of Art, 1971, no. 44.

Note: Other vessels of this type, where the compressed body with a spout has a character or symbol spanning the interior have been published. One with a zhou (longevity) character in the Tianjin Municipal Museum is illustrated in Can Yu, Hong Kong, 1993, pls. 204-205. One with a xi (joy) character from the Helen and Peter Collection was included in the 45th Anniversary Exhibition of the Min Chiu Society, Auspicious Emblems, Hong Kong, 2005, no. 218. One with a shuangxi (double happiness) symbol was included in the exhibition Magic, Art and Order: Jade in Chinese Culture, Palm Springs Desert Museum, 1990, no. 120. And another with a shuangxi symbol from the Personal Collection of Alan and Simone Hartman Part II, was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 27 November 2007, lot 1539. As with the present example, the various characters or symbols are 'suspended' from a musical chime on one side of the rim and on the other side of the rim are hung with tassels that frame the spout.