Asaph Hyman
Global Head of Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art
Lot 48
A rare and magnificent greyish jade interlinked peach box and cover 18th century
11 November 2010, 10:30 GMT
London, New Bond StreetSold for £96,000 inc. premium
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A rare and magnificent greyish jade interlinked peach box and cover
18th century
The large fruit of longevity intricately carved from a single boulder with naturalistic trailing gnarled branches bearing leaves, some with insect bites and others curled, all issuing from the main intertwined branches forming the link between the box and cover which fit perfectly, with bat resting on the cover, the underside superbly carved with a large peach blossom forming the base, the stone of pale-greyish tone with russet inclusions cleverly used to highlight the design.
15.3cm (6in) wide
The large fruit of longevity intricately carved from a single boulder with naturalistic trailing gnarled branches bearing leaves, some with insect bites and others curled, all issuing from the main intertwined branches forming the link between the box and cover which fit perfectly, with bat resting on the cover, the underside superbly carved with a large peach blossom forming the base, the stone of pale-greyish tone with russet inclusions cleverly used to highlight the design.
15.3cm (6in) wide
Footnotes
Provenance: Professor Peter and Traudi Plesch collection, no.Hh15L (label)
A European private collection
Compare a similar peach box and cover, attributed to the 18th century, from the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, illustrated by M.Wilson, Chinese Jades, London, 2004, pl.58, where Ming Wilson notes that 'The peach-shaped box is even more impressive from a technical point of view, because the interlocking branches are moveable and it would have required great precision for the two halves of the box to fit so perfectly.' See also a related larger celadon jade 'peach' box and cover, but with the branches held together by a ring, also from the Plesch collection, recently sold at Christie's London, 3 November 2009, lot 167, illustrated in Chinese Jade Throughout the Ages, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1975, Catalogue no.358.
Peaches symbolise immortality due to their connection to the peaches of Immortality, which according to legend grow in the garden of Xiwangmu, Queen Mother of the West. Peaches have therefore come to symbolise longevity and are often associated with Shoulao, God of Longevity, and Magu, described as being perpetually eighteen years old. The combination of a bat and peaches stands for Fu shou shuang quan, 'May both blessings and longevity be complete in your life'.
