Jade and Chinese Carvings

The Trudy and John Neville Cohen Collection
of
Jade and Chinese Carvings
by
Roger Keverne

Having been invited to comment on the hardstones in this excellent collection I have picked the following, mostly jade items, as being of particular interest.

A large pale celadon jade stone (H1). Carved as a double gourd box, surrounded by foliage, and young gourds. This jade box and cover is, very rare, well hollowed and unusually well carved in high relief.

A fine celadon pebble jade carving (H3) of a sack that is tied with a long ribbon, carved in relief, together with a peony flower. A bat is on one side of the sack. Here is very good use of the stone's colour and natural pebble form with subtle low relief carving

Celadon and russet jadeite carving of Guanyin with phoenix and flowers (H5) is an unusual composition. Guanyin is usually depicted on her own, rare with the phoenix.

A fine handling piece of white jade (H6) with some russet markings. When viewed by turning this piece around, and upside down, a number of images can be discovered:- lingzhi, pair of quail on rocks, an old prunus tree, a dragon on a rock, and a mandarin duck. Good quality and use of this stone combined with the russet markings.

Very pure white nephrite carving of an elephant (H7) resting with its body curled around a small boy reaching up to tickle the elephant's ear with a spray of lingzhi fungus. This is a fine small handling piece, about the size of the average netsuke.

The white jade archers ring (H8) carved in relief with a horse, in a continuous mountaineous landscape, that includes under the moon, a temple, a pine tree, and a raised four section seal. Pure colour, well carved and good choice of subject, altogether a fine quality jade of its type.

A good spinach jade bowl (H9), well-hollowed and a pleasing form, nicely proportioned and with strong loose ring handles, finely worked floral, chrysanthemum style, foot.

A mutton fat Jade belt plaque (H10) undercut and well carved as storks and foliage. This is a fine Ming plaque.

The Jade circular spinach screen (H25), appears to be strongly carved with figures in a landscape and of a very good type.

Entwined dragon pendant (P9), good tone, particularly well rendered and modelled for a complicated design.

The pearl with dragons pendant (P15) is a fine example of 18th century craftsmanship.

The phoenix with dragon pendant (P18), is good quality and rare.

A pair of dragons pendant (P19), is another good example of an 18th century work.

Also the phoenix with lingzhi pendant (P21), is a very fine example.

The Camel faced pendant (P30) appears to be a good 17/18th century example.

The amethyst and gourd pendant (P65) is well carved with a very fine colour.

The bamboo tourmaline pendant (P66), is a rare subject, and very well-carved and pierced.

Lastly the Canton enamel wine ewer (M9), is a good example of its type, the floral panels are particularly pleasing.

Roger Keverne

Website: https://www.keverne.co.uk

E-mail: rogerkeverne@keverne.co.uk

Roger Keverne
Roger Keverne Ltd
2nd Floor
16 Clifford Street
London W1X 1RG
England