AN INSCRIBED AND TRANSLUCENT JADE ‘ORCHIDS’ BOWL, CHINA, 18th CENTURY

Inscription
: ‘Although the orchids belong to the grass, they are graceful and fragrant.’

The deep rounded sides rising from a slightly splayed, massive ring foot to a gently everted rim, with a neatly slanted lip, a distinct hallmark of 18th century jade bowls. The remarkably well-polished stone is of a fine white color with hues of pale celadon and some cloudy inclusions. To one side, raised in high relief, we find a single orchid growing from a craggy rock next to a small lingzhi mushroom. The masterfully incised calligraphy is well-defined in gilt and highlighted in red lacquer.


Provenance
: S. Bernstein & Co., Jade & Oriental Art, San Francisco. Isidore Cohn, Jr., MD, New Orleans, USA, acquired c. 2002 from the above and thence by descent in the same family. Label to the foot: ‘S. Bernstein & Co, San Francisco 2787.’ Isidore Cohn (1921-2015) was a prominent surgeon in New Orleans. Dr. Cohn served as the first Vice President of the American College of Surgeons (1993). He was a passionate collector of art, with several exhibitions of pieces from his collection conducted by The New Orleans Museum of Art, including ‘Chinese Jades from the Collection of Marianne and Isidore Cohn, Jr.’ in 2013-2014. Sam Bernstein is an internationally recognized specialist dealer in Chinese antiquities. He has authored thirteen volumes on Chinese art including ‘The Emperor's Jade Suit’ and ‘Chinese Jade: The Immortal Stone’. Over the past twenty-five years, Mr. Bernstein has gained experience in forming some of the greatest collections of Asian art in the world. Both of his parents were passionate collectors of Asian art and traveled extensively throughout the Far East. In 1991, Mr. Bernstein founded S. Bernstein & Co., Jade and Oriental Art, a gallery in San Francisco located in the historic Fairmont Hotel, which specializes in museum quality Chinese jade and related arts.

Condition
: Superb condition with only minor old wear. The stone with natural inclusions.

Weight: 145.6 g
Dimensions: Diameter 9 cm


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 20 September 2013, lot 1697
Price: USD 32,500 or approx.
EUR 39,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An Inscribed Pale Olive-White Jade Bowl, Late 18th/19th Century
Expert remark: Compare the inscription.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s London, 6 November 2012, lot 143
Price: GBP 27,500 or approx.
EUR 51,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Pair Of Inscribed And Gilt-Decorated Pale Celadon Jade Bowls, 18th Century
Expert remark: Compare the inscriptions. Note that this lot is for two bowls.




十八世紀詩文蘭草玉碗


侈口，深圓腹，圈足。碗口邊緣整齊，這是十八世紀玉碗的明顯標誌。 玉石經過精心打磨，呈現出細膩的白色，帶有淺青色調和一些絮狀物。在碗的一側高浮雕一朵蘭花從崎嶇的岩石中生長出來，旁邊是一朵小靈芝。詩句鎏金雕刻精美，並以紅漆突出。


款識
：
蘭雖為草秀而香


來源
：
舊金山S. Bernstein & Co.Jade & Oriental Art藝廊；. Isidore Cohn，M.D收藏，2002年購於上述藝廊，自此保存在同一家族中。足部可見藝廊標籤“S. Bernstein & Co, San Francisco 2787”。I arts Isidore Cohn（1921-2015）是新奧爾良的著名外科醫師。 Cohn醫生（1993）擔任美國外科醫生學院第一任副校長。他還是一位熱情的藝術收藏家，在新奧爾良藝術博物館舉辦的展覽中多次展出他的藏品，包括2013-2014年Marianne and Isidore Cohn, Jr.收藏的中國玉器。Sam Bernstein 是國際公認的中國古物專業經銷商。他撰寫了十三卷有關中國藝術的著作，包括《The Emperor's Jade Suit》和《Chinese Jade: The Immortal Stone》。在過去的二十五年裡，Bernstein先生積累了豐富的亞洲藝術收藏的經驗。他的父母都是亞洲藝術的熱情收藏家，並在歐洲和遠東多次旅行。1991 年，Bernstein先生在舊金山歷史悠久的Fairmont酒店創立了 S. Bernstein & Co., 玉器與東亞藝術藝廊，專門研究博物館品質的中國玉器及相關藝術品。

品相：
狀況極佳，只有輕微磨損，具有天然內沁。

重量：145.6 克
尺寸：直徑 9 厘米


拍賣結果比較：


形制：相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2013年9月20日，lot 1697
價格：USD 32,500（相當於今日
EUR 39,000
）
描述：清十八/十九世紀青白玉御題詩文盌
專家評論：比較款識。


拍賣結果比較：


形制：相近
拍賣：倫敦佳士得，2012年11月6日，lot 143
價格：GBP 27,500（相當於今日
EUR 51,000
）
描述：青白玉雕石榴紋題詩盌一對
專家評論：比較款識。請注意此為一對。