Two jade 'chilong' belt hooks, Qing dynasty, 18th-19th century. Photo Sotheby's
one of mottled emerald-green jadeite, the other of carnelian jade, both similarly carved, each with a dragon-head terminal and an undercut chilong crawling up the stem, grasping a lingzhi spring in its jaws, the underside carved with a circular button, (2). Length of larger 3 7/8 in., 9.8 cm. Estimation 5,000 — 7,000 USD
PROPERTY FROM THE ESTATE OF WILLIAM I. ORCHARD
Two jade belt hooks, Qing dynasty, 18th-19th century. Photo Sotheby's
the first carved with a dragon-head terminal and an undercut sinuous chilong on its stem with bifurcated tail and a sprig of lingzhi in its mouth; the second carved with a praying mantis-head terminal and cicada-form stem, each with a flat circular button on the underside (2). Length of larger 4 5/8 in., 11.7 cm. Estimation 5,000 — 7,000 USD
PROPERTY FROM THE ESTATE OF WILLIAM I. ORCHARD
Two white jade 'chilong' belt buckles, Qing dynasty, 18th-19th century. Photo Sotheby's
each well-carved with an openwork writhing chilonggrasping a lingzhi spray in its mouth, one half of the buckle terminating in a dragon-head hook, the other with an accommodating oval aperture, the undersides with circular buttons, the translucent stone with opaque-white inclusions (4). Length of larger 3 5/8 in., 9.2 cm. Estimation 5,000 — 7,000 USD
PROPERTY FROM THE ESTATE OF WILLIAM I. ORCHARD
Sotheby's.Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art. New York | 17 sept. 2013 - http://www.sothebys.com