A pale green jade bird and a pale green jade 'horse and monkey' group


QianlongThe bird carved with its legs curled under the body, the head turned back, grasping a persimmon branch in its beak, the ripe fruits and leaves falling alongside its back, the wings, tail and tucked legs all finely articulated in low relief and incised details, the stone of an even pale tone with icy inclusions, wood stand, 6.8cm (2 2/3in) wide; together with a recumbent horse, carved with its legs tucked underneath and head turned sharply towards the monkey on its back, the semi-translucent stone of an even greyish white tone, wood stand, 3.8cm (1 1/2in) wide. (4).
|清乾隆 青白玉雕事事如意擺件及馬上封侯擺件 一組兩件Provenance: An English private collection (bird)An English private collection, purchased in Hong Kong circa 1960 (horse and monkey)Marchant, London來源：英國私人舊藏（玉鳥）英國私人舊藏，約1960年購於香港（玉馬）倫敦MarchantSuch carvings would have been presented to an aspiring government official. The persimmon pronounced as shi in Chinese is a homophone of 'things' and 'business' 事 and 'market' 市, hence a rebus for shishi ruyi or 'May everything be as you wish'. The depiction of a monkey atop a horse forms the rebus mashang fenghou, conveying the wish for a speedy promotion.Compare with a similar jade bird, which was sold at Bonham Hong Kong, 5 December 2015, lot 43; and a similar white jade 'horse and monkey' group, which was sold at Christie's London, 10 May 2016, lot 54.兩件皆青白玉質，一件雕喜鵲銜柿子一枝，喜鵲短喙回首，口銜柿枝，枝結兩果，諧音「事事如意」，鉤尾，羽毛枝葉陰刻淺出；一件雕回首臥馬，馬首攀猴，諧音馬上封侯，馬鬃尾毛絲絲如縷，刻劃不爽。可比較香港邦瀚斯2015年12月5日售出一件玉雕喜鵲銜梅擺件，拍品43號； 佳士得倫敦2016年5月10日售出一件十八世紀白玉馬上封侯可資參考，拍品編號54。