KFU

Chinese large jade pebble carved as a recumbent two-horned qilin resting amongst ruyi-clouds supporting a book wrapped in a closed box secured on the front by tabs, resting on its haunches, the body with detailed work to the spine, mane, tail and scales, the back legs and split hooves neatly tucked underneath.

The stone probably burnt of white opaque colour with black, russet and other markings.

4 7/8 inches, 12.4 cm long; 3 5/8 inches, 9.2 cm deep.

Early Ming dynasty, 15^th/16^th century.

Group of two recumbent, curled, ‘kissing’ cats, their feet touching each other, their ears folded back, the stone pure white.

2 ¼ inches, 5.8 cm long.

Qianlong, 1736-1795.

• From a private Hudson Valley collection, purchased in New York, circa 1980.

• A similar group is illustrated by Jonathan Woolf, Angela McAteer & Colin Sheaf in The Woolf Collection of Chinese Jade, no. 111, p. 228; another is illustrated by Robert P. Youngman in The Youngman Collection, Chinese Jades from Neolithic to Qing, no. 97, p. 96; a group of three cats was included by Marchant in their 85th anniversary exhibition of Chinese Jades from Tang to Qing, 2010, no. 97, p. 132; a similar group of two cats ‘kissing’ was sold by Sotheby’s Hong Kong in their auction of Playthings from the Collection of Edward T. Chow, 27th May 2014, lot no. 88, pp. 84/5.

• The cat, mao, is homophonous with the word for 80-90 years old and is thus a symbol of longevity.

Chinese Mughal style pale celadon jade teapot and cover of compressed baluster form, carved with stylised peony amongst scrolls, leaves, branches and other flowerheads, between a naturalistic branch and leaf handle and a spout joined to the body with the flowerhead also with scrolling branches, the one-piece cover similarly carved with openwork bud finial of acanthus leaves.

7 ½ inches, 19.1 cm high.

Late Qianlong, circa 1780.

Condition: One side with natural flaws used in the carving.

• Formerly in an American private collection.