A MASSIVE CHINESE LAPIS LAZULI 'CRANE AND PINE' VASE AND COVER

A MASSIVE CHINESE LAPIS LAZULI 'CRANE AND PINE' VASE AND COVER
QING DYNASTY

Boldly carved with openwork branches of gnarled pine and crane perched among the foliage, the vase of flattened baluster form, all issuing from a rockwork base, the stone of a bright mottled blue tone with cream and dark veins and gold flecks, 34cm. (2)

Provenance: by repute, purchased from John Sparks, London.

In China, lapis lazuli is known as qing jin shi (blue-gold stone). Although lapis beads have been excavated, which date to the Han dynasty, there are no records of the use of lapis before the Qing dynasty. Cf. Ming Wilson, the Colour of Stones, Transactions of the Oriental Ceramic Society, 1997-98, vol.62, p.34. Soame Jenyns notes that the stone was imported from Tibet and that the Emperor officiating at the Temple of Heaven wore a rosary of lapis lazuli beads.

清 青金石雕松鶴延年蓋瓶
來源：購於倫敦John Sparks古董店（傳）。