AN 'EGRETS IN LOTUS POND' JADE FINIAL, YUAN DYNASTY China, 1279-1368. Finely carved, undercut, and reticulated with a group of three egrets in various poses amid lotus pods and leaves growing from an elaborate network of intertwined stems. The translucent stone of a pale celadon tone with light-brown and cloudy white inclusions. The base pierced for attachment. Provenance: From a French private collection. Condition: Good condition with shallow surface wear, the interior with small losses, at least partially inherent to carving. Weight: 31.4 g Dimensions: Height 4 cm Literature comparison: Compare a related but earlier openworked jade finial with egrets, attributed to the Liao or Jin Dynasty, from the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Jadeware (II), Hong Kong, 1995, pl. 98. Auction result comparison: Compare a closely related celadon and russet jade finial (4.3 cm high), also carved with egrets in a lotus pond, dated Yuan to Ming dynasty, at Christie's London in Chinese Ceramics, Works of Art and Textiles on 18 May 2012, lot 1001, sold for GBP 16,250, and another in gray-white jade and dated Jin to Yuan dynasty, of larger size (6 cm high), at Bonhams London in Fine Chinese Art on 11 November 2010, lot 12, sold for GBP 9,840. 元代白玉荷塘鷺鷥紋爐頂 中國，1279-1368年。爐頂立體鏤雕多層紋飾，荷葉翻轉，莖脈重疊，花葉交錯疊壓，呈現荷塘之景。三隻鷺鷥立於荷葉之間，雕工刻劃細緻。玉料滿布深淺不一褐白色沁，古樸秀雅。 來源：法國私人收藏。 品相：狀況良好，表面磨損較淺，內部小缺損，至少一部分是雕刻時固有的。 重量：31.4 克 尺寸：高4 厘米 拍賣結果比較：一件元至明代青玉留皮荷塘鷺鷥爐頂 (高4.3 厘米)，，見倫敦佳士得Chinese Ceramics, Works of Art and Textiles 2012年5月18日 lot 1001, 售價GBP 16,250；另一件灰白玉，金至元代，稍大尺寸 (高6 厘米), 見倫敦邦翰思Fine Chinese Art 2010年11月11日 lot 12, 售價GBP 9,840。