Adam's Fine Asian Art Preview 23 November 2021

18 A PALACE SIZED WHITE JADE ‘CASSIA, LINGZHI AND ROCKS’ VASE AND COVER CHINA, 20TH CENTURY This palace sized lidded archaistic vessel of facetted baluster shape is topped by a dome-shaped lid with a chrysan- themum flower shaped finial, its neck with two open-worked S-shaped handles. It majestically stands on a rocky base enhanced with fungus of immortality (lingzhi) and from which is emanating a branch of cassia flowers which naturalis- tically grows over the front part of the body up to the neck. The below of the vase is also worked to render rocks. The vase is carved out a large single piece of nephrite jade. Its inner part is very well hollowed. Offered at auction together with a wooden stand. H: 33 cm – w: 28 cm – depth: 6 cm Weight: 1549 grams Provenance: Pascal Blouet Auction Mayenne, France, 2016/02/21, bought for €25.500 BP excl. €10,000 - 20,000 NOTE: The cassia is an evergreen plant with bright yellow flowers. In Chinese, cassia (gui 桂 ) has the same pronunciation as the word for “high rank” (gui 贵 ). Cassia and peaches together represent “high rank” and “longevity”. Cassia also conveys a wish for success in the imperial examination. Lingzhi ( 灵芝 ), also known as the glossy ganoderma, is the sacred fungus of immortality that grows on the trunks or roots of trees including the pine. Fig. 1 - View with the stand Fig. 2 - Detail view of the lingzhi