A rare and large Imperial pale green jade jardinière with agate and jade leaves


The jardinière 18th century, the flowers possibly laterThe jardinière of cylindrical form and pale green tone, carved with a pair of auspicious lingzhi fungus handles and two bats with the wings extended on the rim, the potted plant finely carved with agate berries amid long spinach jade leaves, attached wood stand. 42cm (16 1/2in) high (2).
|十八世紀及更晚 青白玉嵌寶盆景Provenance: a distinguished English private collection來源： 顯貴英國私人收藏The present lot depicts the sturdy evergreen Rohdea Japonica which in Chinese is known as the 'ten thousand year green' (wannianqing 萬年青). The bright green leaves symbolise continued growth and happiness, while the clusters of berries which are red, stand for numerous descendants. This plant in a bucket-shaped jardinière (tong 桶) puns with 'unified rule' (yitong 一統), and forms the rebus for 'one unified rule for ten thousand years' (yitong wannian 一統萬年). The present lot therefore encapsulates the Imperial Court's ambitions for stability. Jardinières with the pot made of jade are rare and are more commonly seen in similar form of cloisonné enamel. Compare with two related cloisonné enamel jardinières with jade and hardstone leaves and fruits, of similar form, in the Chuxiu Palace within the Forbidden City, Beijing, illustrated in Life in the Forbidden City of Qing Dynasty: Classics of Forbidden City, Beijing, 2007, p.143, pl.214.A pair of pale celadon jade jardinières, but of square form and without the hardstone leaves and fruits, 18th century, were sold at Sotheby's New York, 11-12 September 2012, lot 346.