A WHITE AND RUSSET JADE CARVING OF A FISH Ming DynastyTHE PROPERTY OF A BRITISH FAMILY英国家族藏品A WHITE AND RUSSET JADE CARVING OF A FISHMing DynastyThe small pebble smoothly carved as a fish with dorsal fins and grooved tail, clasping in its jaws a curled lotus leaf acting as an aperture for a string, the stone of pale white tone with light-brown-russet patches. 6cm (2 1/4in) long.明 玉魚把件Provenance: Sydney L. Moss Ltd., LondonJoseph (1938-2005) and Bella (1941-2011) Shapiro, acquired from the above on 26 July 1989, and thence by descent 來源：倫敦古董商Sydney L. Moss Ltd.Joseph Shapiro (1938-2005)和 Bella Shapiro (1941-2011)在1989年7月26日從上處購得，並由後人保存迄今The present carving carries an auspicious message relating to good wishes for a new year: the word for lotus, lian, sounds like year nian 年), while fish yu 魚 sounds like abundance yu 餘. Taken together, they form the rebus 'abundance through the years' niannian youyu 年年有餘. Compare with a related jade carving of a fish and lotus, Ming dynasty, illustrated in Chinese Jades in the Avery Brundage Collection, San Francisco, 1977, p.104, pl.XLV.sold_price_type: £