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Lot 41

A FINE CARVED ZITAN RUYI SCEPTRE INSET WITH JADE 'DRAGON' PLAQUES
Qianlong

14 May 2025, 10:00 BST
London, New Bond Street

£12,000 - £15,000

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A FINE CARVED ZITAN RUYI SCEPTRE INSET WITH JADE 'DRAGON' PLAQUES

Qianlong
The reticulated inset jade plaques of pale celadon hue, variously carved with a forward facing five-clawed dragon grasping a pearl to the hand and sinuous chilong to the shaft and terminal, all amongst densely scrolling foliage, the sceptre delicately carved in low relief with undulating, leafy lotus stems within key-fret borders, a two-stranded tassel suspended from a small jade ring and hook at the base.
48cm (18 7/8in) long.

Footnotes

清乾隆 紫檀嵌玉三鑲如意

The presentation of such a sceptre would have symbolised the granting of good fortune, as embodied in the meaning of its Chinese name ruyi 如意—'as you wish.' Zitan's deep purplish-black hue was associated with the Imperial Court, as purple 紫 (zi) has long been a colour linked to royalty, divinity, and high status. Zitan products were reserved for emperors and high-ranking officials, symbolising their elevated position in society. The present lot elegantly combines two highly prized materials, jade and zitan, to create a piece of exceptional auspiciousness. See a related carved zitan sceptre inset with a jade plaque, Qing dynasty, in the collection of the Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated in Refined Pleasures in the Study: Treasures and Curios from Traditional Study, Taipei, 2007, p.83.

See a related jade inset zitan sceptre, Qianlong period, which was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 6 April 2015, lot 254.

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