Jade

HKD 1,400,000 - 2,500,000

A Hetian White Jade Tablet with a Dragon in Shallow Relief

Period: Qing Dynasty Dimensions: Overall Height: 12.5 cm

The present tablet is meticulously carved from a single piece of white jade, with a scrolling lotus-leaf-form border and the entire surface decorated in shallow relief with a pair of dragons amidst clouds. The two dragons coil symmetrically around one another, while dense auspicious clouds fill the ground. The carving is executed with remarkable precision and delicacy.

The jade is fine-grained, creamy white and lustrous, with a restrained oily sheen. The entire surface retains a naturally mellowed patina consistent with age and long-term transmission. It is free from significant deep fissures, chips or repaired areas.

The paired dragons symbolize authority, auspiciousness and imperial power. As an official tablet associated with the Shangshu Ling, the present object combines the refined craftsmanship of court jade carving with historical, ceremonial and scholarly significance, while also possessing considerable appeal as an object of ancient jade collecting.