Lot 106. A rare Imperial and spinach-green jade 'lotus' bowl and cover, Qianlong period, 15cm (5 7/8in) diam.(3). Estimate HK$180,000 - 200,000 (US$23,000 - 26,000). Sold for HK$ 562,500 (€64,546). Photo: Bonhams.

Superbly carved in the form of a lotus pod, rising on a short spreading foot elaborately carved on the bowl with overlapping lotus petals rising to the inverted rim, surmounted by the slightly domed pod with naturalistically carved circular nodes simulating seeds, encircling the tall ribbed neck, set with a later pierced metal cover. 15cm (5 7/8in) diam.(3).

Provenance: The Summer Palace, Beijing, 1860, by repute
Sir John William Buchanan-Jardine (1900-1969), 3rd Baronet of Castle Milk (according to Spink invoice)
Spink & Son Ltd., London
An English private collection, acquired from the above on 27 January 1953

Note: Sir John William Buchanan-Jardine was a scion of Sir William Jardine, the founder of Jardine, Matheson & Co. Established in Canton in 1832, this great shipping company rose to dominate the lucrative China trade and was instrumental in the early development of Hong Kong. The Jardine family played an influential role as proponents of punitive action against the Manchu court, leading to the infamous Opium Wars. From their privileged position in the Far East, the family was in a strong position to secure important pieces from the Chinese Imperial collections after the looting of the Summer Palace, Beijing, and the subsequent periods of instability.

The present lot is exceptionally rare in form and only one other similar example appears to have been published. See a white jade 'lotus' bowl and cover, Qianlong mark and of the period, from the Qing Court collection, illustrated in Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade 10 Qing Dynasty, Beijing, 2011, pl.177.

The form of the present lot would have required significant loss to the jade stone in the process of carving, making this bowl and cover, a particularly prized possession. The remarkable form of the bowl suggests it would most likely have been specially commissioned.

Bonhams.  FINE CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART, 30 May 2017, 15:00 HKT - HONG KONG, ADMIRALTY