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A fine and large green jade 'double carp' vase Republic Period image 1
A fine and large green jade 'double carp' vase Republic Period image 2
Lot 218*

A fine and large green jade 'double carp' vase
Republic Period

8 November 2012, 10:00 GMT
London, New Bond Street

£85,000 - £100,000

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A fine and large green jade 'double carp' vase

Republic Period
The impressively large and even-hued stone boldly carved as a carp with its gaping mouth forming a vase and bulging eyes beneath sprouting horns and a snout flanked by whiskers, the body with two sweeping side fins between a spiky dorsal fin, all rearing above a further carp similarly carved with the head also raised to form another vase, resting its back on foaming swirling waves, box.
32cm (12 5/8in) high (2).

Footnotes

民國 綠玉雕雙鯉魚式瓶

Fish 魚 yu are replete with auspicious references in Chinese art. It is a pun for abundance 餘 yu, and the carp in particular, 鯉魚 liyu, is a pun for enormous profits 利餘 liyu. A big carp, 大鯉 dali, represents the same idea 大利 dali.

Two fish together can also symbolise the wish for a happy and fruitful marriage, 雙魚吉慶 shuangyu jiqing, as fish were thought to swim in pairs, and to produce numerous offspring.

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