A WHITE JADE BOWL, QIANLONG PERIOD Opinion: In recent years, perhaps no other Chinese work of art has been copied more often than the Qianlong white jade bowl, as its simple form and absolute lack of decoration make it a seemingly “easy” target for forgers. However, this particular bowl demonstrates that such an erroneous assumption is bound for failure. In reality, it is quite the opposite: The more sober a jade vessel, the more the observer's eye is diverted to the various aspects and dynamics of its shape and, maybe even more important, the quality of its polish, two features that are in fact the most difficult to reproduce convincingly. For some reason, the copies that this author has handled always lacked the masterfully equilibrated proportions of the massive yet slightly splayed foot, strictly focused on function, the elegant swing of the wall - in stark contrast to the present lot, and most remarkably the slanted lip, a distinct feature that forgers often “forget”, probably for the lack of reward given in exchange with the painstaking effort required to add this ”minor” embellishment in a well-controlled manner. Furthermore, and almost needless to mention, this bowl comes from an old collection that precedes the recent wave of copies, which only started around 15-20 years ago.

China, 1736-1795. The bowl is well carved with deep rounded sides rising to a gently flaring rim, with a slanted lip, all supported on a massive yet slightly splayed cylindrical foot. The translucent stone is of an almost pure white tone with scattered cloudy inclusions and few minuscule dark-gray specks. It shows a masterfully applied manual polish overall, giving it a decent, lustrous shine.

Provenance: From the collection of an English antiques dealer who was active between the 1960s and 1980s, and thence by descent to the last owner.
Condition: Excellent condition with minor old wear, the rim with a microscopic nick.

Weight: 212.3 g
Dimensions: Diameter 12.3 cm

Notable for their harmonious proportions, thinly carved walls, and lustrous finish, undecorated jade bowls were among the most luxurious dining utensils available, and their use at court was thus strictly regulated by sumptuary laws. The Guochao gongshi [court history] of the Qianlong period records that only the Empress Dowager and the Empress were allowed to own a 'jade bowl with a gold stand'. Furthermore, on the occasion of feasts at the imperial court, 'jade bowls and golden plates' could be used only in the presence of the Emperor.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's London, 10 November 2015, lot 51
Price: GBP 68,500 or approx. EUR 94,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A finely carved white jade bowl, Qianlong period
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, with a gently flaring rim, slanted lip and slightly splayed foot. Note the slightly larger size (15.6 cm)

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's London, 7 November 2012, lot 426
Price: GBP 20,000 or approx. EUR 29,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Chinese white jade bowl
Expert remark: Compare the similarly slated lip and related size (12.3 cm). Note the slightly different form.


乾隆時期白玉碗
中國，1736-1795年。碗身光素，敞口微外撇 ，直圈足。素玉碗比例協調、薄壁雕琢，半透明白玉，可見絮狀物和内沁，表面光滑瑩潤。

專家注釋：近年來，可能沒有其他中國藝術品比乾隆白玉碗更頻繁地被複製，因為它簡單形式和光素使其成為偽造者看似“容易”的目標。然而，這個特殊的碗表明，這種錯誤的假設注定會失敗。實際上恰恰相反：玉器越簡單，觀者的眼睛就越會被轉移到其形狀的各個方面上，也許更重要的是其拋光的質量，以及玉碗整體和諧的比例和形制。此外，這個碗來自一個古老的收藏，在近15-20年前出現的複製浪潮出現之前。

來源：來自一位活躍於1960年代至1980年代之間的英國古董商的收藏，一直保存到最後一位繼承者。
品相：狀況極好，輕微磨損，邊緣帶有微小的刻痕。

重量：212.3克
尺寸：直徑12.3厘米

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：倫敦佳士得，2015年11月10日，lot 51
價格：GBP 68,500（相當於今日EUR 94,500）
描述：乾隆時期白玉碗
專家評論：比較非常相近的外型、敞口微外撇 ，直圈足。請注意尺寸稍大 (15.6厘米) 。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：倫敦佳士得，2012年11月7日，lot 426
價格：GBP 20,000（相當於今日EUR 29,500）
描述：白玉碗
專家評論：比較相似的敞口和相近的尺寸 (12.3厘米)。請注意稍微不同的外型。