A SPINACH-GREEN JADE COVER

18th/19th century

18th/19th century
Expertly carved around the exterior in low relief with a continuous scene of cranes amongst gnarled pine trees, the dark green stone with pale cloudy inclusions. 14.2cm (5 5/8in) diam.

十八/十九世紀 碧玉松鶴紋器蓋

Provenance:
The Liebermann Collection
Spink & Son Ltd., London
E. A. Parry (1879-1946), London, acquired from the above on 31 July 1928, and thence by descent

來源：
Liebermann舊藏
倫敦古董商Spink & Son Ltd.
倫敦E. A. Parry（1879-1946）舊藏，於1928年7月31日購自上者，並由後人保存迄今

The 1928 Spink & Son invoice refers to the Liebermann Collection. This may refer to the collection of the German painter Max Liebermann (1847-1935), who was one of the most important Berlin art collectors of the Imperial Era and the Weimar Republic and is reported to have turned to collecting Chinese art from 1900. Two pieces from his collection were included in the 1929 Chinese Art Exhibition in Berlin; see Ausstellung Chinesischer Kunst, Berlin, 1929, nos.769 and 1045.

The present lot would have probably served as cover to a circular box, which were usually decorated with low-relief floral designs. See a spinach-green jade circular box and cover decorated with geometric designs and a chilong, Qing dynasty, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Jadeware, vol.3, Hong Kong, 1995, p.84.

See also a spinach-green jade circular box and cover decorated with low relief floral designs, 18th century, which was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 27 May 2008, lot 1964.

倫敦古董商Spink & Son開立於1928年的發票稱此例來自Liebermann舊藏，或指德國畫家馬克思·利伯曼（Max Liebermann，1847-1935）；他同時也是當時柏林最為重要的收藏家之一，據稱其於1900年起開始收藏中國藝術。利伯曼曾將兩件藏品借展於1929年柏林中國藝術展，見《Ausstellung Chinesischer Kunst》，柏林，1929年，展覽編號769與1045。

本例應作為圓形器物的器蓋使用，原器身應以淺浮雕裝飾同類題材。如一例清代碧玉圓蓋盒，收錄於《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集：玉器（下）》，香港，1995年，頁84。

參考一例十八世紀碧玉雕圓蓋盒，器身浮雕纏枝花卉，售於香港佳士得，2008年5月27日，拍品編號1964。