FROM AN IMPORTANT MONTREAL COLLECTION
[LOTS 1104, 1107, 1119, 1124, 1130, 1133, 1136, 1138, 1139, 1145-1148, 1230]

IMPORTANT ANTIQUE COVERED PALACE VASE IN CELADON JADE
CHINA
Remarkable and fine covered vase, carved from an extremely large boulder of fine celadon jade. Decorated to both the front and back with angular dragons rendered archaistically in square form framing sym¬metrically the front and back of the vase. This style of decoration is rare but known from the 16th century till the Qianlong period. It is believed that this example dates from either the 17th-18th century very possibly early Qianlong period. Wood stand included.

Carved from a single boulder the vase is very honest in revealing it's beginnings. The hollowing of the vase was begun from one single large core which was bore drilled from the width of the mouth of the vase and very precisely all the way to what is now the bottom of the inside cavity. The bore drill has left it's distinctive tool marks at the bottom on either wall there is a large circular groove where the core was finished. From there a painstaking process of hollowing and finally polishing the interior of the vase began. Where in most jade vases what reveals them almost immediately as later in date is the little amount of care given to the more hidden areas of the carving. Qianlong issued an edict that jade carving and polishing should be done in equal time. So if a particular jade carving took 6 months to make, it is said that you should spend another 6months polishing it. When looking carefully at this piece it is easily clear that there was no shortcut taken. The underside of handles, lid and interior of hollow are all well polished. The polish is very pleasing throughout.

Comparisons:
Musée National du Palais, Taiwan, numéro d’inventaire 009570n000000000
FOK, Thomas. “The Splendor of Jade The Songzhutang Collection of Jade”. Pl. 135, pp. 164-165
“The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum / Jadeware II”. Hong Kong, 2008. Pl. 18, p. 24.

H: 29cm – 11 ½’’
l-w: 15.3cm – 6’’
p-d: 6cm – 2 3/*

E: 10.000-15.000