A WHITE JADE CARVING OF A HORSE AND MONKEY 18th centuryA WHITE JADE CARVING OF A HORSE AND MONKEY18th centuryThe small pebble exquisitely carved as a horse with finely incised mane and legs tucked beneath its body, a monkey with beady eyes and incised spine clambering on the horse's back pulling the reins and tugging the pricked ears, the stone of pale white tone with some frosty inclusions. 5.2cm (2in) long.十八世紀 白玉雕馬上封侯擺件Provenance: John Sparks Ltd., London, July 1990A distinguished English private collection來源：倫敦古董商John Sparks Ltd.，1990年7月英國顯赫私人收藏The monkey (hou 猴), is a homophone for 'marquis' (hou 侯), which on top of a horse (mashang 馬上), also meaning 'quickly', is a rebus for 'quick ennoblement' or rising quickly up the ladder of success in one's career.See a related pale green jade carving of a horse and monkey, 17th/18th century, which was sold at Bonhams London, 16 May 2019, lot 148.