A rare Imperial pale green and russet jade inscribed 'Twelve Symbols of Imperial Authority' tablet, gui, Qianlong. Photo: Bonhams

The tablet carved in low relief on the front with the Twelve Symbols including the grain, the fire scroll, the mountain, the sun, the moon, the constellation and the axe head, the reverse with two four-line paragraphs of calligraphy above rocky peaks bursting from foaming waves. 19.2cm (7 5/8in) high. Estimate £10,000 - 15,000 (€12,000 - 18,000)

Provenance: the Julius Robinson Collection of Fine Jade Carvings, London, and thence by descent

Notes: The inscription reads

承帝明德，師象山則。雲施稱民，永受厥福。承容之常，承帝之明。下民安樂，受福無疆。

which is from chapter 17 from the Book of Han, 'Rites and Music', and can be translated as:

'We receive the Emperor's enlightened virtue; as a leader he is like a mountain. The clouds answered the peoples call, and they forever enjoyed their blessings. We receive his constant forbearance; we receive the Emperor's enlightenment. Under him the people are peaceful and happy, the blessings they receive are limitless.' 

Compare a similar white jade tablet and bi disc, gui, from the Qing Court Collection, Palace Museum, Beijing; the tablet similarly carved with the twelve symbols, illustrated in Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade 8: Qing Dynasty, Beijing, 2011, no.16, and another green jade gui and bi disc carving also with the twelve Imperial symbols, ibid., no.144. For a Ming Dynasty related jade gui tablet, see Studies Of the Collections of the National Museum of China, Beijing, 2007, pl.202.

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