Lot 3713. An imperially inscribed white jade 'Tea poem' bowl and cover, seal marks and period of Qianlong (1736-1795), 11.2 cm, 4 3/8  in. Estimate 400,000 — 600,000 HKD. Lot sold 2,125,000 HKD. Photo: Sotheby's.  

the deep rounded sides rising from a short foot to an everted rim, faintly incised to the interior with a central medallion enclosing fruiting and flowering branches of finger citron, prunus and pine, all encircled by a ruyi band repeated at the rim, the exterior gently inscribed with an imperial poem entitled Sanqing Cha ('Three Purity Tea'), followed by a cyclical date Qianlong bingyin (in accordance with 1746) and two seals of the emperor, the rim and the foot encircled by ruyi bands in low relief, similarly decorated at the domed cover, the base of the bowl and top of the cover incised with a six-character seal mark