Description
Ɏ A LARGE IVORY ‘HUNDRED BOYS’ VASE AND COVER, LATE QING TO REPUBLIC China, late 19th to early 20th century. The ovoid body rising from a waisted foot to a concave neck with an everted rim, meticulously carved with innumerable boys engaging in leisurely pursuits, decorated with key-fret, bat, ruyi-head, leiwen, and floral bands. Provenance: From the private collection of a French diplomat. Condition: The neck with discoloration and extensive crackling to the ivory due to heat influence, areas of touchup limited to the neck, otherwise in superb condition with minor wear, minuscule nicks, and occasional light scratches. The lid slightly paler than the vase. CITES: European Union Certificate number AT 23-B-0294, dated 27.7.2023. Weight: 2,044 g Dimensions: Height 32.6 cm The domed oval cover with a finial in the form of two boys seated on a lotus leaf, one playing the flute and the other gleefully laughing. The present piece is decorated with the subject of the ‘Hundred Boys’, a very popular motif in porcelain decoration as it symbolizes the Chinese perpetual wish for many sons. According to Terese Tse Batholomew in Hidden Meanings in Chinese Art, San Francisco, 2006, p. 63, the 'Hundred Boys' theme has its origins in the Western Zhou dynasty when King Wen of the Zhou adopted one son in addition to his ninety-nine sons to complete the number of one hundred. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s London, 11 November 2011, lot 1345 Price: GBP 32,450 or approx. EUR 60,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A large carved ivory vase and cover, 19th century Expert remark: Compare the closely related vase and cover, possibly from the same workshop, but slightly larger (41 cm), and depicting the immortals as the main subject instead of the hundred boys. This item contains ivory, rhinoceros horn, tortoise shell, and/or some types of tropical wood and is subject to CITES when exporting outside the EU. It is typically not possible to export such items outside of the EU, including to the UK. Therefore, after this item has the necessary trade certificate, it can only be shipped within the EU or picked up in our gallery in person.
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Ɏ A LARGE IVORY ‘HUNDRED BOYS’ VASE AND COVER, LATE QING TO REPUBLIC China, late 19th to early 20th century. The ovoid body rising from a waisted foot to a concave neck with an everted rim, meticulously carved with innumerable boys engaging in leisurely pursuits, decorated with key-fret, bat, ruyi-head, leiwen, and floral bands. Provenance: From the private collection of a French diplomat. Condition: The neck with discoloration and extensive crackling to the ivory due to heat influence, areas of touchup limited to the neck, otherwise in superb condition with minor wear, minuscule nicks, and occasional light scratches. The lid slightly paler than the vase. CITES: European Union Certificate number AT 23-B-0294, dated 27.7.2023. Weight: 2,044 g Dimensions: Height 32.6 cm The domed oval cover with a finial in the form of two boys seated on a lotus leaf, one playing the flute and the other gleefully laughing. The present piece is decorated with the subject of the ‘Hundred Boys’, a very popular motif in porcelain decoration as it symbolizes the Chinese perpetual wish for many sons. According to Terese Tse Batholomew in Hidden Meanings in Chinese Art, San Francisco, 2006, p. 63, the 'Hundred Boys' theme has its origins in the Western Zhou dynasty when King Wen of the Zhou adopted one son in addition to his ninety-nine sons to complete the number of one hundred. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s London, 11 November 2011, lot 1345 Price: GBP 32,450 or approx. EUR 60,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A large carved ivory vase and cover, 19th century Expert remark: Compare the closely related vase and cover, possibly from the same workshop, but slightly larger (41 cm), and depicting the immortals as the main subject instead of the hundred boys. This item contains ivory, rhinoceros horn, tortoise shell, and/or some types of tropical wood and is subject to CITES when exporting outside the EU. It is typically not possible to export such items outside of the EU, including to the UK. Therefore, after this item has the necessary trade certificate, it can only be shipped within the EU or picked up in our gallery in person.
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