Pair of white jade quail boxes
Qianlong, 18th century
Length: 7.5 cm | 3 in
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Each bird is naturalistically carved, in the round, from pebble-shaped white jade. Seated with legs and claws tucked under their plump bodies, they both look intently ahead with raised alert heads – their wings folded in, and feathers swept back to the lowered short tail. The undulating shaped rims fit together perfectly – following the line of the feathers.
Similar example: Chinese Jades from Han to Ch’ing, by James C. Y. Watt, The Asia Society, Inc., in association with John Weatherhill, Inc.1980 – no.134 illustrates a Ming example of a jade quail box.
Chinese Art Series, Works of Art section, volume 9: ‘Jades’ – page 22. The text explains that jade craftsmen created these naturalistic carvings having been inspired by Song paintings – in which quail are frequently depicted.
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