A rare white jade swallow scroll-weight


18th centurySuperbly carved in openwork and relief with its head turning sharply to the left and grasping a gnarled leafy branch of blossoming prunus in its beak, the features of the bird highly detailed with the wings and bifurcated tail-feathers meticulously carved with shallow incised lines, the legs tucked neatly underneath, the softly polished stone of an even white tone. 11.5cm (4 1/2in) long.
|十八世紀 白玉雕喜上眉梢飾件Provenance: O.J.R.Allen collection, acquired from John Sparks Ltd., London, on 19 August 1986Marchant, LondonExhibited, Published and Illustrated:Marchant, Chinese Jades from the Mr. O.J.R. Allen Collection, London, 2013, no.23來源：O.J.R.Allen舊藏，1986年8月19日購於倫敦John Sparks有限公司倫敦Marchant展覽、出版及著錄：Marchant，《Chinese Jades from the Mr. O.J.R. Allen Collection》，倫敦，2013年，編號23白玉質，白若糖霜，潤如膏腴，圓雕喜鵲銜梅枝，喜鵲側頸，短喙，口銜梅枝，花開三朵，貼於右翼，喜鵲展翅，翹尾，整件呈三角形，應是隨形而雕，翎羽淺刻，細翎長羽刻劃工整細密，淺浮雕雙腿於下腹。喜鵲銜梅枝寓意喜上眉梢 。