A superbly carved amber 'Prunus' washer, Qing dynasty, 18th century

Lot 3357. A superbly carved amber 'Prunus' washer, Qing dynasty, 18th century; 11.4 cm, 4 1/2  in. Estimate: 300,000-500,000 HKD. Lot sold 337,500 HKD (43,052 USD). Courtesy Sotheby's.

carved in the form of an open prunus bloom with radiating veined petals and furled edges, the exterior exuberantly carved in openwork with intertwining stems issuing further flowering and budding prunus on the side and the base, the translucent material of a rich orange-brown tone, wood stand.

Note: The craftsman of this piece has displayed the masterful range of his skills in creating a vessel that is elegantly shaped in the form of a prunus tree, combining high-relief openwork with lightly incised lines to create pleasing contrasts and thus accentuating the rich hues of the raw material. The auspicious prunus has been deliberately chosen, being one of the most admired flowers in China due to its winter-resistant beauty and its symbolic meaning of sustaining a righteousness even in harsh conditions.

Compare two washers of this type sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, one of translucent honey-brown tone, carved in the form of a lotus flower with a chilong and lotus on the side, 3rd November 1996, lot 516, and the other, of a warm reddish-orange colour, its flower-form and gnarling branches bearing magnolia blossoms, sold 28th November 2012, lot 2393.