China, 960-1644. Finely carved, the fish grasping a lotus stem in its mouth as its forked tail fin twists in a swimming motion, the body meticulously incised with cross-hatched scales. Pierced through the mouth and the dorsal fin for suspension.

The translucent jade is of a fine pale-yellow hue with extensive russet veins and clouds.

Provenance: : From the personal collection of Xu Yingkui (1830-1903), Viceroy of Min-Zhe, Guangzhou, China, this piece has been passed down directly through three generations within his family. Xu Yingkui, a first-rank court official, served as Viceroy of Min-Zhe, Governor of Fuzhou, and General of Fujian from 1898 to 1903 during the reign of the Guangxu Emperor (1871-1908). Born into a prestigious gentry family in Guangzhou, Xu was the godson of Empress Cixi and the grandnephew of Lu Xun. He was a poet, scholar, avid art collector, and influential politician. Notably, Xu was appointed Viceroy of Min-Zhe shortly before the Boxer Rebellion. During the rebellion, he famously signed the Mutual Protection of South China Agreement, striving to maintain peace and sovereignty in his province alongside Yuan Shikai, the future president of the Republic of China, and three others, openly defying the Qing court. After the signing of the Peace Agreement between the Eight-Nation Alliance and China, Xu retired. In his retirement, he planned to construct a large and luxurious private garden in Guangzhou, but he passed away before the project could be realized.
Condition: Very good condition with minor old wear and miniscule nibbling, and expected natural imperfections such as inclusions and fissures, some of which may have developed into small hairline cracks.

Weight: 28.4 g
Dimensions: Length 7.9 cm

Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related jade pendant in the shape of a fish, dated Song to Jin dynasty, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, image number K1C004058N000000000PAB.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 7 April 2010, lot 1995
Price: HKD 212,500 or approx. EUR 36,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A grey ‘mandarin fish’ jade, Yuan dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject and manner of carving with similarly rendered scales and eyes. Note the different color of the jade.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 27 June 2019, lot 145
Price: USD 6,875 or approx. EUR 7,900 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: Two pale greenish-white jade ‘fish’ carvings, Ming-early Qing dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject, manner of carving, and color. Note the size (10.2 cm) and that this lot comprises a second fish.