Opinion: As a sale result list from a 1965 Sotheby’s auction shows (accompanying lot no. 78), the London salerooms of the Swinging Sixties were dominated by the who's who of today’s most illustrious provenances in Chinese art, such as Bluett, Moss, Marchant, Clayton, Sparks and a certain “Wou”. A rather inconspicuous fixture of the English art scene in these days, Dr. Wou Kiuan was the previous owner of the present lot. He had the at the time rare advantage of being able to read Chinese, and thus instantly recognized that this jade plaque once served as an Imperial book cover and not, as oftentimes assumed, a mere book leaf. Dr. Wou’s immense passion and superior knowledge sometimes allowed him to pick up extremely important Chinese works of art with rare inscriptions, right under the noses of the most experienced dealers and collectors, because they simply were unable to read Chinese. The present lot is proof of this fact, exactly like the ‘yulan zhi bao’ soapstone seal used by Emperor Qianlong, which sold for 131 million Hong Kong dollars on April 29, 2022.

China, 1746. Superbly incised and gilt to one side with a fierce front-facing five-clawed cloud dragon, Yunlong, sinuously writhing around a flaming pearl amid swirling clouds, all above the terrestrial diagram and crashing waves. The other side with an incised and gilt inscription. The opaque stone of a deep spinach-green tone with paler green shadings, and cloudy inclusions cleverly used by the lapidary to amplify the cloud dragon appearance.

Inscriptions: To the reverse, ‘After examination, 25 texts have been determined in order […] they will be compiled in a collection […] Qianlong on a Spring day in the Bingying Year’ (corresponding to 1746)

Provenance: From the collection of Dr. Wou Kiuan. Wou Lien-Pai Museum, coll. no. Q.C.186. Dr. Wou Kiuan (1910-1997) was a Chinese diplomat and noted scholar of Chinese art. His father, Wou Lien-Pai (1873-1944), was one the leading political figures of early 20th century China, remembered for his role as speaker and leader of parliament during the turbulent years of the Republican era. Dr. Wou himself embarked on an illustrious career in diplomacy until his retirement in 1952, when he settled in London and devoted the rest of his life to the study of Chinese art. It was no doubt fortuitous that Dr. Wou’s years of collecting coincided with an abundant availability of exceptional Chinese art on the London market. From the mid-1950s to the late1960s he was able to form a collection of well over 1,000 works that together represented virtually every category of Chinese art. At the heart of Dr. Wou’s drive to collect was a burning desire to preserve the relics of China’s rich historical past scattered across Europe, and to promote Chinese art and culture. It is unclear when Dr. Wou conceived of the idea to create a place to house his collection, but in 1968 he opened the doors to the Wou Lien-Pai Museum, named in honor of his father. Over the years the Museum became a ‘must see’ destination for collectors, academics, and visiting dignitaries, and Dr. Wou would delight in leading his visitors through the galleries, recounting stories of China’s glorious history.
Condition: Very good condition with minor old wear, particularly to gilt inscription, which is nonetheless remarkably well-preserved. Minuscule nibbling to edges. Exceedingly rare in this pristine state of preservation.

Weight: 649.5 g
Dimensions: Size 27.4 x 12.5 cm

Finely incised and gilt jade books reveal the dexterity of the carver with the medium, as such thin plaques were extremely fragile and could break if excessive pressure was applied when carving. During the Qianlong period, the production of jade books attained a new apex of quality, reflecting the Emperor’s deep admiration and the increased availability of the material following the pacification of the Hui people in Xinjiang. These books were made under imperial orders by artisans working in the Palace Workshop belonging to the Neiwufu in the jade workshops of Suzhou, or in those belonging to the Huai and Changlu Administrations.

Literature comparison:
Compare a related jade album of ‘Three rarities of literature’, with a similarly incised and gilt dragon decoration to the cover, in the collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei, accession number 故玉003497N000000000.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 5 April 2017, lot 3615
Price: HKD 875,000 or approx. EUR 130,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An imperially inscribed celadon jade album leaf, mark and period of Qianlong, dated Yichou Year (in accordance with 1745)
Expert remark: Compare the closely related incised and gilt dragon decoration. Note that this is an album leaf and not an album cover such as the present lot.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 23 March 2011, lot 705
Price: USD 302,500 or approx. EUR 385,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: Two inscribed leaves from a spinach-green jade book, Qing dynasty, Qianlong period, dated to the Gengxu Year (corresponding to 1790)
Expert remark: Compare the closely related incised and gilt dragon decoration. Note that this comprises two jade book leaves, and not an album cover such as the present lot.

乾隆丙寅年青白玉描金御製詩玉冊
中國，1746年。長方形，玉片色呈青白，質地溫潤。一面精雕雲龍戲珠紋生動矯健，另一面詩文筆力遒勁，填金亦飽滿均勻。

專家注釋：根據 1965 年蘇富比拍賣結果清單（隨附拍品編號 78），六十年代搖擺的倫敦拍賣主要由當今中國藝術最傑出的收藏家所主導，例如 Bluett、Moss、3月ant、Clayton、Sparks和某個“吳”。吳權博士是當今英國藝術界相當不起眼的一員，是本拍品的前任擁有者。他擁有當時難得的中文優勢，因此立刻認出這塊玉冊曾是皇室書籍的封面，而不是人們通常認為的書葉。吳博士的巨大熱情和淵博的知識讓他能夠在最有經驗的經銷商和收藏家的眼皮底下淘到極其重要的中國藝術品，因為他們根本看不懂中文。此拍品就是明證，與乾隆皇帝使用的“御覽之寶”印一模一樣，而這枚御用之印於2022年4月29日以1.31億港元售出。

款識：複者愛加考正排次定為二十有五以符，天數並著成譜而敘其大指如此，乾隆丙寅春日御筆。

來源：吳權博士收藏；吳蓮伯美術館，館藏編號 Q.C.186。吳權(1910-1997)博士 曾是一位中國外交家以及知名中國藝術收藏家。他的父親吳蓮伯 (1873-1944)先生曾是二十世紀初中國重要政治人物，因在民國動蕩歲月中擔任國會議員及議長而聞名。1952 年，吳博士在外交領域走上了輝煌之路，直到他退休後定居倫敦，並將餘生奉獻給了對中國藝術的研究。毫無疑問，吳權博士多年的收藏，與大量中國藝術珍品現身倫敦藝術市場上時間點相呼應，這無疑是幸運的。從 1950 年代中期到 1960 年代後期，他收集了 1,000 多件藏品，涵蓋了中國藝術的每一個門類。吳博士之所以收藏，其原因主要是爲保護散落歐洲各地的中國文物與推廣中國藝術與文化。尚不清楚吳博士何時想到創建一個美術館來歸置他的收藏的，但在 1968 年，他打開了以他父親的名字命名的吳蓮伯美術館的大門。多年來，美術館已成為收藏家、學者和來訪政要的必經之地，而吳博士總是很樂意給參觀者介紹美術館，講述中國光輝歷史的故事。
品相：狀況極好，描金有輕微的磨損，但保存得非常完好。微小的邊緣磕損。這樣的保存狀態極為罕見。

重量：649.5 克
尺寸：27.4 x 12.5 厘米

中國自古以來便深信玉料經久不朽，質地優良，故被視為品級極高的一種形制。清宮尤重玉冊，乾隆年間，玉冊制量達到高峰，當時玉冊由內務府監製，部分交造辦處，部分由蘇州織造五德照本文刻字，再由如意館裱裝成冊。

文獻比較：
比較一件《清乾隆 「三希文翰」玉冊》，封面有類似的刻金龍纹，收藏於台北故宫博物院，院藏编号為故玉003497N000000000。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：香港蘇富比，2017年4月5日，lot 3615
價格：HKD 875,000（相當於今日EUR 130,500）
描述：乾隆乙丑年款御題青玉册（與1745年相符）
專家評論：比較非常相近的刻花和鎏金龍紋。請注意，這是個冊頁，而不是像本拍品那樣的冊頁封面。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：紐約蘇富比，2011年3月23日，lot 705
價格：USD 302,500（相當於今日EUR 385,000）
描述：乾隆庚戌年(1790年) 兩片御題碧玉冊
專家評論：比較非常相近的的刻花和鎏金龍紋。請注意，這是由兩片玉書葉組成的，而不是像本拍品那樣的冊頁封面。

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