Christie's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, London, 5 November 2019
A lapis lazuli, turquoise and aquamarine court necklace, chaozhu, and a lapis lazuli and coral rosary bracelet, shou chuan, Qing
Lot 117. A lapis lazuli, turquoise and aquamarine court necklace, chaozhu, and a lapis lazuli and coral rosary bracelet, shou chuan, Qing dynasty (1644-1911). Estimate GBP 5,000 - GBP 8,000. Price realised GBP 11,250. © Christie's Images Ltd 2019
The necklace includes one hundred and eight lapis lazuli beads carved with shou characters, separated by three larger fotou turquoise beads, each carved as a knot, a two-part double gourd-form turquoise fotouta and a gilt metal-mounted turquoise beiyun suspending a drop in orange glass imitating coral hang from the centre. There are three strings of jinian comprised of pierced pink glass beads imitating tourmaline and suspending orange glass drops in imitation of coral. The rosary bracelet is comprised of eighteen lapis lazuli beads of even tone, spaced by two fotou coral beads. A double-gourd bead hangs from the centre suspending a turquoise vajra and an aquamarine pendant and two drop-shaped lapis lazuli toggles carved with shou characters. The string is decorated with tiny seed pearls.
Approximately 56 ¾ in. (144 cm.) long (the necklace) and approximately 3 ½ in. (9 cm.) diam. (the bracelet).
Note: Compare the necklace to a similar one in the Palace Museum collection in Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum - 57 - Treasures of Imperial Court, Hong Kong 2004, p. 98, no. 88.