The Lobl Collection of Chinese Jades

Marchant are delighted to announce the exhibition and sale of The Lobl Collection of Chinese Jades. This is Marchant’s 7th Jade show and celebrates their 95th Anniversary, the exhibition coincides with Asian Art Week in London 2020.

The exhibition comprises thirty six pieces from the private collection of Mr. & Mrs. Herbert Lobl, amassed over sixty years, predominantly buying from London dealer Louis Joseph and also from Bluett, William Clayton and Marchant. He also bought at Sotheby’s & Christie’s.

One highlight from the collection is the front cover piece, a nine dragon brushwasher (no. 23) which is an exemplary piece of jade carving and comes from the collection of Sir Desmond Cochrane, Bt. It was purchased in London in 1976 by Mr. Lobl. Another highlight, elegant in its simplicity, is the curved pear-shaped ewer (no. 28) with scroll handle and slightly recessed base. One other exceptional highlight is the catalogue back cover piece (no. 25), carved as a ribbon-tied treasure pouch, it is well-hollowed on the interior, while the exterior has two detailed dragons with intricate scales. The reverse has a seven-character couplet in relief, a technique referred to in Japanese as yukibori, which in jade is an extremely difficult and time consuming skill, and was purchased in London in 1967.

Available Pieces
  • 5. M4997

    £22,000

    Chinese jade pouring vessel, yi, with a large ring handle extending into an upturned lip, the rim with fluting between three relief ribs, all on three short feet.

  • 7. M5001

    £48,000

    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.

  • 8. M4983

    £POA

    Chinese large jade libation vessel carved in the form of a peach stone with naturalistic grooved underside, the flat everted rim carved in relief with a twenty-character inscription and date, the interior plain.

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  • 10. M5015

    £15,000

    Chinese small jade carving of a crouching tiger, hu, with incised lines to the body, whiskers and long tail folded back on its body, with detailed claws and ears.

  • 11. M5019

    £POA

    Chinese large jade carving of a seated single-horned open-mouthed pixiu, with raised head, bulging eyes, pronounced spine and claws, detailed hairwork to the body, mane, tail, jowls, eyebrows and a long goatee beard above the ribbed chest, the body with detailed flames and scrolls on the haunches and further hairwork to the edges of the legs.

  • 13. M5006

    £22,000

    Chinese jade recumbent crane, he, with its head turned back holding in its long-pointed beak a branch of two fruiting peaches, its folded wings and curved tail with detailed feather work, the legs and feet neatly folded under the body.

  • 17. M5012

    £12,000

    Chinese jade pebble carved as a recumbent water buffalo, niu, the nape, horns and tail naturalistically carved, the neck and split hooves neatly tucked underneath.

  • 18. M4991

    £22,000

    Chinese jade rhyton, gong, of archaic style carved on each side with a central band of taotie masks between archaic style cicada lappets and leaves beneath a key-fret band at the rim.

  • 19. M4986

    £POA

    Chinese jade pouring vessel, yi, carved on the exterior with a wide archaic style scrolling band of confronting animal heads between a double raised edge and beneath a similar band at the rim and above a key-fret band on the ridged foot, the openwork scroll top handle carved with a chilong dragon going through, its body with scrolls and detailed hairwork to the mane.

  • 20. M5007

    £35,000

    Chinese jade pebble carving of a recumbent single-horned mythical animal, pixiu, with bifid tail, detailed spine and claws all resting on ruyi-head clouds.

  • 21. M5017

    £POA

    Chinese large jade carving of a recumbent horse, ma, biting its hind leg, with wide eyes and gently protruding lip, pronounced spine and forelegs neatly tucked underneath, with detailed flowing hairwork to the mane and long tail.

  • 24. M5014

    £48,000

    Chinese jade carving of a recumbent ram, yang, holding in its mouth a swirling ruyi-cloud spray supporting a yin-yang, taiqi symbol, with long goatee beard, detailed horns and particularly plump body, the split hooves neatly tucked underneath.

  • 25. M4996

    £POA

    Chinese jade treasure sack, bao fu ping, of pomegranate form with well-hollowed interior, tied at the neck with a long flowing ribbon, the fluted body carved in relief with two dragons amongst stylised ruyi-clouds, the scales on their bodies intricately incised, the larger winged dragon with flames on the body, spikes on the spine and detailed hairwork to the mane, with a relief seven-character couplet, zhong you yun qi sui fei long, “there are clouds and mists following the flying dragons”, the underside gently recessed.

  • 26. M4995

    £60,000

    Chinese jade two-handled censer and cover of rectangular form, ding, on four cylindrical legs, carved on each side with an intricate low relief archaic style taotie mask between other animal masks on a key-fret ground, the openwork handles surmounted with animal-head terminals, the cover carved with archaic design on a key-fret ground surmounted by an integral begonia flowerhead finial.

  • 27. M4984

    £POA

    Chinese jade oval waterpot carved in high relief with four dragons grasping the sides in pursuit of a flaming pearl amongst stylised lingzhi clouds and above detailed swirling and crested waves, with further hairwork to the dragons’ manes, the interior well-hollowed.

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