A pale green jade 'horse and monkey' belt plaque

19th century

19th century
Depicting a monkey clambering on the back of a recumbent horse, the reverse with carved dragon head hook and circular button, carved rosewood stand. The plaque 9cm (3.1/2in) long. (2).

The Property of a Lady

Provenance: a distinguished Italian private collection formed circa 1930s-1940s, and thence by descent

The important Italian collector lived and worked in Shanghai between 1932 and 1936, as representative of his Italian company and in 1937, following the Sino-Japanese war, was transferred to Dalian in Southern Manchuria. After a brief period spent in Italy in 1938, he returned to Shanghai where he lived between 1939 and 1940. He then moved to Beijing where he lived between 1941 and 1946 and formed the vast majority of his collection of Chinese Art.