A fine Chinese Imperial pale celadon jade model of a sampan Qianlong/Jiaqing, with Ma Gu steering with an oar, standing wearing a hat and flowing robes, and with a vase of lingzhi fungi to the stern. A small deer and a crane holding a peach spray sit on the bow, and a canopy of woven basket shields the centre of the deck, the underside finely carved with swirling waves, raised on an elaborate hardwood stand, a paper label for John Sparks, 17.5cm. (2)

Provenance: Lt Col John Grenville Fortescue (1896-1969), of Dropmore, Buckinghamshire and Boconnoc, Cornwall, and thence by descent.

Cf. S Marchant & Son, 80th Anniversary Exhibition of Chinese Jades from Han to Qing, 2005, no.88, for examples of similar size. See also, Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum, Jade 8, Qing dynasty, pp.162-164, nos.125 and 126.