Lot 39. A spinach-green jade incense burner and cover, gui, 18th-19th century; 16.4cm (6 1/2in) wide. Estimate HK$ 60,000-80,000. Sold for HK$ 125,000 (€ 14,933). Photo: Bonhams.

The deep rounded body raised on a spreading foot, with a pair of archaic mythical beast mask handles on each side, intricately carved in shallow relief with taotie masks amidst ruyi scrolls, and six evenly-spaced short vertical flanges below the mouth rim, the domed cover with a further band of taotie masks and surmounted by a pierced coiling chi dragon, wood stand.

Provenance: Acquired prior to 29 November 1984 (date of Spink & Son Ltd., London valuation)
An English private collection and thence by descent.

Note: The archaistic design on the present lot of taotie masks, flanges and mythical beast handles, is consistent with the Qianlong emperor's fascination with archaic and ancient objects, which subsequently influenced jade craftsmanship. Chang Li-tuan notes in The Refined Taste of the Emperor: Special Exhibition of Archaic and Pictorial Jades of the Ch'ing Court, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1997, p.49 that the Qianlong emperor proposed to 'restore ancient ways', suggesting that jade carvers turn to antiquity for models, which would enable them to imbue their designs with simplicity and honesty, and so achieve refinement and elegance. The 'ancient ways' referred to the intrinsic values of sincerity, simplicity, and happy exuberance.

Compare a related spinach-green jade incense burner and cover, Qianlong mark and of the period, from the Qing Court Collection, with related 'square' shaped handles, but with a flaring finial on the cover and lower foot, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Jadeware (II), Shanghai, 2008, pl.106.

Bonhams. FINE CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART, 4 Jun 2015 10:30 HKT - HONG KONG, ADMIRALTY