12th Oct, 2023 13:00

THREE-DAY AUCTION - Fine Chinese Art / 中國藝術集珍 / Buddhism & Hinduism

 
  Lot 324
 

324

A GREEN JADE ‘CAT AND BUTTERFLY’ CARVING, LATE MING-EARLY QING DYNASTY
明代青玉貓戲蝶

Sold for €1,300

including Buyer's Premium


Lot details


Expert’s note:
This impressive carving can be displayed in two different ways. With the paws forming the base, we see a figure of a cat with a butterfly. The butterfly can however also serve as a flat base for this carving, making it function as a weight in the form of a crouching cat.

China, 16th-18th century. Boldly carved as a cat seated in a recumbent pose and a large butterfly, the space between the two animals allowing for suspension as a pendant. The opaque stone of a pale green tone with pale brown shadings, cloudy inclusions, and russet veins.

Provenance: From an English private collection.
Condition: Very good condition with minimal nicks and natural fissures.

Weight: 255.1 g
Dimensions: Length 7 cm

Please click here to read the full description

Cats and butterflies are symbols of longevity. The cat (mao) is a homonym for ‘seventy’, while the butterfly (die) shares the same sound as ‘eighty’. Together, they form a rebus for maodie. This term implies that one would live to be seventy or eighty — considered high age in ancient China.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 8 April 2011, lot 3209
Price: HKD 2,420,000 or approx. EUR 402,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A black and white jade ‘cat and butterfly’ carving, Ming dynasty
Expert remark: Note the slightly cube-shaped form, which allows this carving to be placed in several different ways, much like the present lot.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christies New York, 25 Sept 2020, lot 1772
Price: USD 8,750 or approx. EUR 9,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Mottled Grey and Beige Jade 'Cat' Group, Late Ming-Early Qing Dynasty, 16th-18th Century
Expert remark: Note the size (6.6 cm).

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 30 May 2018, lot 587
Price: HKD 37,500 or approx. EUR 4,900 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A white and black jade ‘cat and butterfly’ group, Qing dynasty
Expert remark: Note the size (5.7 cm).

点此阅读中文翻译 (Chinese Translation)

明代青玉貓戲蝶


中國,十六至十八世紀。一隻貓以斜臥的姿勢與一隻大蝴蝶嬉戲。玉料不透明,淡綠色調,帶有淡棕色紋理和絮狀物。

專家注釋:貓的爪子形成底座,我們可以看到一隻貓和一隻蝴蝶;蝴蝶也可以作為這個玉雕的平面底座,這樣也可以把這件玉雕作爲鎮紙使用。

來源:英國私人收藏。
品相:狀況極好,輕微刻痕和自然裂縫。

重量:255.1 克
尺寸:長 7 釐米

貓蝶諧音耄耋,有著“耄耋”之壽的美好含義。

拍賣結果比較:
形制:相近
拍賣:香港蘇富比,201148日,lot 3209
價格:HKD 2,420,000(相當於今日EUR 402,000
描述:明代黑白玉貓戲蝴蝶
專家評論:請注意玉石略呈方狀的外形,這使得這件雕刻品能夠以多種不同的方式放置。

拍賣結果比較:
形制:相近
拍賣:紐約佳士得,2020年9月25日, lot 1772
價格:USD 8,750(相當於今日EUR 9,500
描述:十六至十八世紀明末清初灰米色斑駁玉貓

專家評論:請注意尺寸(6.6厘米)。

拍賣結果比較:
形制:相近
拍賣:香港蘇富比,2018年 5月30日,lot 587
價格:HKD 37,500(相當於今日EUR 4,900
描述:清墨白玉耄耋
專家評論:請注意尺寸(5.7厘米)。

 


Expert’s note:
This impressive carving can be displayed in two different ways. With the paws forming the base, we see a figure of a cat with a butterfly. The butterfly can however also serve as a flat base for this carving, making it function as a weight in the form of a crouching cat.

China, 16th-18th century. Boldly carved as a cat seated in a recumbent pose and a large butterfly, the space between the two animals allowing for suspension as a pendant. The opaque stone of a pale green tone with pale brown shadings, cloudy inclusions, and russet veins.

Provenance: From an English private collection.
Condition: Very good condition with minimal nicks and natural fissures.

Weight: 255.1 g
Dimensions: Length 7 cm

Please click here to read the full description

Cats and butterflies are symbols of longevity. The cat (mao) is a homonym for ‘seventy’, while the butterfly (die) shares the same sound as ‘eighty’. Together, they form a rebus for maodie. This term implies that one would live to be seventy or eighty — considered high age in ancient China.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 8 April 2011, lot 3209
Price: HKD 2,420,000 or approx. EUR 402,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A black and white jade ‘cat and butterfly’ carving, Ming dynasty
Expert remark: Note the slightly cube-shaped form, which allows this carving to be placed in several different ways, much like the present lot.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christies New York, 25 Sept 2020, lot 1772
Price: USD 8,750 or approx. EUR 9,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Mottled Grey and Beige Jade 'Cat' Group, Late Ming-Early Qing Dynasty, 16th-18th Century
Expert remark: Note the size (6.6 cm).

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 30 May 2018, lot 587
Price: HKD 37,500 or approx. EUR 4,900 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A white and black jade ‘cat and butterfly’ group, Qing dynasty
Expert remark: Note the size (5.7 cm).

点此阅读中文翻译 (Chinese Translation)

明代青玉貓戲蝶


中國,十六至十八世紀。一隻貓以斜臥的姿勢與一隻大蝴蝶嬉戲。玉料不透明,淡綠色調,帶有淡棕色紋理和絮狀物。

專家注釋:貓的爪子形成底座,我們可以看到一隻貓和一隻蝴蝶;蝴蝶也可以作為這個玉雕的平面底座,這樣也可以把這件玉雕作爲鎮紙使用。

來源:英國私人收藏。
品相:狀況極好,輕微刻痕和自然裂縫。

重量:255.1 克
尺寸:長 7 釐米

貓蝶諧音耄耋,有著“耄耋”之壽的美好含義。

拍賣結果比較:
形制:相近
拍賣:香港蘇富比,201148日,lot 3209
價格:HKD 2,420,000(相當於今日EUR 402,000
描述:明代黑白玉貓戲蝴蝶
專家評論:請注意玉石略呈方狀的外形,這使得這件雕刻品能夠以多種不同的方式放置。

拍賣結果比較:
形制:相近
拍賣:紐約佳士得,2020年9月25日, lot 1772
價格:USD 8,750(相當於今日EUR 9,500
描述:十六至十八世紀明末清初灰米色斑駁玉貓

專家評論:請注意尺寸(6.6厘米)。

拍賣結果比較:
形制:相近
拍賣:香港蘇富比,2018年 5月30日,lot 587
價格:HKD 37,500(相當於今日EUR 4,900
描述:清墨白玉耄耋
專家評論:請注意尺寸(5.7厘米)。

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