A PALE CELADON JADE BELT PLAQUE, LATE MING TO EARLY QING DYNASTY
China, 17th-18th century. Of rectangular form, finely carved in low relief with a spotted stag standing foursquare with its head turned back amid rockwork beneath a leafy pine tree as a bat flies by. The grass and bark of the tree are distinctively articulated. The translucent stone is of a pale celadon tone with cloudy inclusions and some russet clouding on the reverse.


Provenance:
UK trade.

Condition:
Very good condition with minor old wear and traces of use. Minor nicks here and there. The back shows the rough, untreated stone.

Weight: 95.1 g
Dimensions: Width 7.1 cm


The deer, bat, and pine trees motif
is rich with auspicious symbolism. The word ‘bat’ shares a similar sound as the words for ‘blessings’ and ‘riches’, making the image of the bat one of the most popular rebuses used in Chinese symbolism. The bat is often depicted upside down in Chinese art, owing to the word for ‘upside down’ being a pun on the word ‘arrived’, thus an upside-down bat means ‘blessings have arrived.’ The deer is a pun for ‘emolument’ or ‘salary,’ and symbolizes Luxing, the God of Rank and Emolument. His name is also a homophonic pun with ‘road’ and ‘six.’ The deer is also a symbol of longevity, and as the only animal with the ability to search out the fungus of immortality, quite often the deer is depicted with the fungus in its mouth. In Taoist mythology, the deer is an animal who accompanies Shoulao, the God of Longevity, and Magu, the Goddess of Longevity. Deer are often portrayed together with pine, a tree also symbolizing longevity due to it being an evergreen. Combined, these three symbols are meant to be a triple blessing of longevity, prosperity, and riches.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 23 March 2019, lot 1380
Estimate: USD 5,000 or approx.
EUR 5,500
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A celadon jade rectangular ‘deer and pine’ plaque, Qing dynasty, 17th/18th century
Expert remark: Note the imilar motif of this plaque with a deer, pine, and bat, and note the size (8.9 cm).


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 30 Novermber 2016, lot 147
Estimate: HKD 212,500 or approx.
EUR 30,500
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: Two Inscribed Pale Celadon Jade ‘Figural Landscape’ Plaques and an Inscribed White Jade ‘Pine’ Plaque Late Ming - Early Qing Dynasty
Expert remark: Note the similar style of carving on these three plaques.




明末清初青白玉腰帶牌

中國，十七至十八世紀。呈長方形，淺浮雕一頭斑點雄鹿呈立姿，頭向後仰，站在在一棵松樹下，四周山石環繞，一隻蝙蝠飛過。半透明青白玉，白色絮狀物，背面有一些黃褐色内沁。


來源：
英國古玩交易。

品相：
狀況極好，有輕微磨損和使用痕跡，很多小磕損，背面留皮。

重量：95.1 克
尺寸：寬 7.1 厘米


拍賣結果比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：紐約蘇富比，2019年3月23日，lot 1380
估價：USD 5,000（相當於今日
EUR 5,500
）
描述：清十七 / 十八世紀青玉雕松鹿延年圖牌
專家評論：請注意相似的主題，例如鹿、松樹和蝙蝠。請注意尺寸(8.9 厘米)。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：香港蘇富比，2016年11月30日，lot 147
估價：HKD 212,500（相當於今日
EUR 30,500
）
描述：明末至清初青白玉詩意圖飾二塊及白玉詩意圖飾一塊
專家評論：請注意相似的雕刻風格。