Lot 615. An exceptional and fine Imperial white jade double-gourd vase and cover, Qing dynasty, Qianlong period (1736-1795); 11 in., 28 cm. Estimate 15,000 — 20,000 USD. Lot sold 432,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's.

the almost flawless translucent white stone with a few whiter blushes, superbly hollowed and carved to form a double-gourd of oval section, with baluster-form upper-lobe and globular lower-lobe, set on a flared foot with squared footrim, and flanked by a pair of loose-ring handles suspended from elaborate phoenix heads accented with flaring openwork wings and scrolls at the chest, each side of the vase finely carved in very low relief with scattered cloud-swirls and the wufu ('five bats'), all fluttering animatedly and in contrasting positions, the conforming domed cover carved with further clouds and set with a ruyi-head securing two further loose rings.

Note: The present vase is carved from stone of exceptionally good quality and remarkably even white color.  It is also rare to find large double-gourd vases of this type carved with such elegant proportions, however a close comparison can be made with a slightly smaller example, carved in low relief with five bats and inscribed with the characters daji ('good fortune'), illustrated in Stanley Charles Nott, A Catalogue of Rare Chinese Jade Carvings, Palm Beach, Florida, 1940, no. 14.  Another example carved with bats amongst Buddhist emblems and peach sprays is illustrated in Chinese Jade, Spink & Son Ltd., London, 1998, cat.no. 41.

See also a related vase and cover illustrated in Robert Kleiner, Chinese Jades from the Collection of Alan and Simone Hartman, Hong Kong, 1996, no. 149; another illustrated in A Romance with Jade from the De An Tang Collection, Hong Kong, 2004, pl. 44; and one in Yang Boda (ed.), Essence of Qing Jades, Hong Kong, 1995, pp. 78-79.

The relief decoration which appears on the surface of the present example consists of a harmonious combination of auspicious and well-wishing motifs.  The wufu, or 'five bats', symbolize the five blessings: long life, riches, health, love of virtue and a peaceful death, while the double-gourd shape itself is associated with the Daoist immortal Li Tieguai and is symbolic of prosperity and an expression of hope for many sons and grandsons.