China, 1736-1820. The body of flattened circular shape above a short spreading foot, carved in relief on both sides with circular panels depicting scrolling lotus tendrils issuing blossoms and leaves within a raised border, the waisted neck with archaistic stiff leaves below key-fret and flanked by openwork leafy handles. The domed cover similarly carved and with a lobed finial featuring a lotus blossom. The stone is of an attractive green tone with some minor darker speckling and lighter gray patches.

Provenance: Nagatani Inc., Chicago, USA. Collection of Robert Elton and Sarah Burton Harrison Brooker, acquired from the above between 1950-1980 and thence by descent in the same family. Hisazo Nagatani (1905-1994) was a Japanese-American collector, scholar, and noted dealer of Asian art. Growing up near his birthplace Osaka, he developed a passion for Asian art early on and joined Yamanaka & Co. in 1922, at the age of only 17. He soon moved to Beijing, traveling throughout China, and handling bronzes, porcelains, jades, and other works of art, before relocating to the United States. He eventually became the manager of the Yamanaka gallery on the Magnificent Mile in Chicago until the firm had to cease operations in the United States. In 1944, he opened his own gallery, Nagatani & Co., which flourished for many decades, selling to important collectors such as Robert Mayer, Stephen Junkunc, Avery Brundage, and the Alsdorfs. Nagatani later donated many of his works of art and his important library to various museums. Robert Elton Brooker (1905-2001) was an American business executive and recipient of the 1972 Henry Laurence Gantt Medal for distinguished achievement in management and service to his community. He was a vice-president at Sears, Roebuck & Co., and subsequently president of the Whirlpool Corporation and Montgomery Ward.
Condition: Very good condition with minor wear, few little nibbles to exposed areas. The stone with natural fissures, some of which may have developed into thin hairline cracks.

Weight: 3.1 kg
Dimensions: Height 32.5 cm

Made in imitation of a form traditionally associated with porcelain, a ring-handled relief-carved moon flask, bianhu, is particularly challenging to create from hard jade. The pilgrim or moon flask first appeared in China in ceramic form during the early Ming dynasty and was inspired by Middle Eastern glass and metal wares, which came to China through trade and exchange.

Mughal jade vessels from India, from which the present lot draws some inspiration, were renowned for their exceptional carving and naturalistic motifs. The Qianlong emperor greatly admired the fine quality of the Mughal jade workmanship, and wrote poems praising the Mughal pieces in his collection, describing them as 'thin as paper'. Chinese carvers thereafter strove to imitate the Mughal style, combining it with Chinese elements and symbolism such as the lotus.

Literature comparison:
Compare a related spinach-green jade vase and cover with a lotus design, illustrated in Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade, vol. 10. Beijing, 2011, p.71, no. 43. Compare a related spinach-green jade moon flask and cover with dragon and peony decoration, dated to the 19^th century, in the Harvard Art Museums, object number 1942.185.97.A-B. Compare a related spinach-green jade vase and cover of similar form and also with floral decoration to the body, dated to the Qianlong period, illustrated by Stainly Charles Nott, Chinese Jade Throughout the Ages, London, 1936, pl. CX.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s London, 9 November 2010, lot 183
Price: GBP 46,850 or approx. EUR 96,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A spinach jade 'Buddhist emblems' pilgrim flask, Qianlong period (1736-95)
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, stone, and manner of carving. Note the different size (23.2 cm).

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Bonhams London, 7 November 2019, lot 118
Estimate: GBP 30,000 or approx. EUR 48,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A spinach-green jade 'Chrysanthemum' vase and cover, 18th Century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related stone and manner of carving with similar leafy scroll, albeit with a chrysanthemum design. Compare also the related form and size (33.7 cm). The Bonhams description notes the pair to this vase and cover is illustrated by J.C.Y. Watt, Chinese Jades from the Collection of the Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, 1989, p.125, no.109. The author notes that the style 'owes something to Mughal influence'.