A WHITE AND RUSSET JADE ‘SANYANG AND LINGZHI’ GROUP, QING DYNASTY
China, 18th-19th century. Exquisitely carved with three rams portrayed in recumbent postures, lying on a stepped rocky outcrop with the largest ram in the middle, each naturalistically carved with legs neatly tucked, and the majestic head slightly raised and crowned with long curled horns. The translucent and lustrous creamy-white stone with veining and russet inclusions, one skillfully used by the lapidary for a sprig of lingzhi growing at the base of the rocky outcrop.


Provenance:
A private collection in Germany. Bonhams New York, 9 September 2019, lot 817, bought-in at an estimate of USD 10,000 or approx.
EUR 11,000
(converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). A private collection in the United Kingdom, acquired from the above.

Condition:
Very good condition with minor wear, minuscule nibbling, few microscopic nicks. The stone with natural inclusions and fissures, some of which may have developed into small hairline cracks.

Weight: 672.7 g
Dimensions: Width 11.9 cm


The motif of three rams
or sheep (sanyang) is a pun referring to the Yi Jing, where solid lines represent the male or yang principal, while broken lines represent the female or yin principal. The hexagram tai which represents spring and new beginnings is comprised of three broken lines above three solid lines. It is considered to be in perfect balance with the three broken lines symbolizing heaven above and the three solid lines symbolizing the earth below. The three rams or sheep, standing in for the three solid lines, form a rebus for the phrase sanyang kaitai, referencing the period between the winter solstice and the New Year, when the warm yang energy is emerging, and the earth is returning to life.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 11 June 2021, lot 3181
Price: HKD 100,000 or approx.
EUR 12,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A white jade ‘three rams’ group, Qing dynasty, 18th-19th century
Expert remark: Compare the related sanyang subject and white color of the stone, as well as the closely related size (12.1 cm). Note the absence of the rockwork base.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s London, 10 November 2015, lot 98
Price: GBP 98,500 or approx.
EUR 169,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A large white jade ‘three rams’ group, Qianlong period
Expert remark: Compare the related sanyang subject, white color of the stone, and size (12.4 cm). Note the absence of the rockwork base, the group instead supported on a wood stand.




清代白玉三羊開泰

中國，十八至十九世紀。精美雕刻的三隻羊呈臥姿，臥在岩石上，其中最大的羊在中間。雙腿收攏，頭微微抬起，頭上長著捲曲的角。雕刻自然，栩栩如生。半透明、有光澤的白玉，帶有紋理和赤褐色內沁，巧妙利用色澤雕刻生長在岩石底部的小靈芝。


來源：
德國私人收藏；紐約邦瀚斯，2019年 年 9 月 9 日，拍品 817，以估價 10,000 美元或約
11,000 歐元
（根據撰寫本文時的通貨膨脹情況進行換算和調整）；英國私人收藏，購自上述拍賣。

品相：
狀況極好，有輕微磨損，微小刻痕、嗑損。玉石上有天然内沁和裂隙。

重量：672.7 克
尺寸：寬 11.9 厘米


拍賣比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：香港佳士得，2021年6月11日，lot 3181
價格：HKD 100,000（相當今日
EUR 12,000
）
描述：清十八/十九世紀白玉三羊開泰擺件
專家註釋：比較相近的三羊開泰主題，白色玉石顏色 ，以及非常相近尺寸 (12.1 厘米)。請注意此擺件沒有岩石底座。


拍賣比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：倫敦佳士得，2015年11月10日，lot 98
價格：GBP 98,500（相當今日
EUR 169,000
）
描述：乾隆白玉三羊開泰擺件
專家註釋：比較相近的三羊開泰主題，白色玉石顏色 ，以及尺寸 (12.4 厘米).。請注意此擺件沒有岩石底座，而是玉底座。