A Chinese jade carved chilong twin vase

Qianlong period

Attached to original hardwood stand.

H: 9 3/4, W: 4 1/4, D: 2 1/4 in. (H: 24.77, W: 10.80, D: 5.72 cm.)

Provenance: Mr. Mun, California. A family heirloom.

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This twin vase was intricately carved from a single piece of white jade and sits upon a zitan pedestal. Atop of the larger vase is a lion-shaped knob, followed by a belt of decorative engraving below the mouth. The neck of the larger vase is engraved with bajiao leaf patterns, and at the sides of the neck are two kuilon-shaped ears. The shoulder of the larger vase is engraved with ruyi patterns. On one side of the body is a sculpted lingzhi holding phoenix. On the smaller vase is a crawling chilong, curving its body to the form of the vase. The mouth and the shoulders of the smaller vase are engraved with simplistic ornaments. The twin vases are connected by another chilong, and hugged by lingzhi and ruyi, symbolizing wealth, auspiciousness, peace, and happiness. This twin vase is an exquisite example of the costly, ornate wares produced during this time period. During Qianlong's reign, many exquisite artifacts in various shapes and forms were manufactured without consideration of expense.

The Palace Museum, No. 00102515 ,No. 00102515,

Poly, Beijing, June 2012, Lot 7571; Christie's, New York, March 2012, Lot 1905;Poly, Hong Kong, April 2015, Lot 3583.

此瓶以整塊白玉籽料雕琢而成，器形小巧，用料卻碩大，並有原配紫檀底座。雙聯瓶一大一小，高瓶蓋頂置獅鈕，瓶口陰刻整圈花紋，瓶頸處陰刻焦葉紋，兩邊飾有夔龍雙耳。肩部以如意紋承上啓下，瓶側面刻有鳳銜靈芝。小瓶爲雙貫耳瓶，瓶身盤有一條螭龍，口肩均刻有花紋，造型古樸。兩瓶之間有螭龍承接，底部刻有靈芝如意紋承託，寓意富貴吉祥、平安如意。此件多處用浮雕、鏤雕的技法，反映了乾隆時期慕古的制玉之風。乾隆時期宮廷製造型多姿，工藝精湛，不惜工本，由本件拍品可見一斑。故宮博物院有件玉瓶雕刻工藝與此件極爲相似，可做參考。

參閱故宮博物院館藏，編號故00102515，見圖1；編號故00102514，見圖2。參閱北京保利拍賣2012年06月拍賣，編號7571；佳士得拍賣2012年03月紐約拍賣，編號1905；保利香港2015年04月香港拍賣，編號3583。