Lot 1102
Treasury 1, no. 51 (‘The McReynolds Bixi’)
HK$500,000

Flawless nephrite; extremely well hollowed; carved in the form of a bixi 贔屭 (mythological tortoise); the carapace with a formalized hexagonal pattern surrounded by a band of continuous leiwen
1730–1850
Length: 6.72 cm
Mouth: 0.59 cm
Stopper: tourmaline

Provenance:
Alice B. McReynolds
Sotheby’s, New York, 16 April 1985, lot 159

Published:
Kleiner 1987, no. 59
Treasury 1, no. 51

Exhibited:
Sydney L. Moss Ltd., London, October 1987
Creditanstalt, Vienna, May–June 1993

This bixi bottle is probably from the workshop that produced such animal-form bottles as the pig and bear in this collection (Sale 1, lot 19 and Sale 2, lot 112). The choice of material, superb hollowing, and remarkable detail link the three bottles (and others), but the most telling feature is the treatment on so many of these animals of the rather thin legs, which are combined with disproportionately large feet. They are also linked by the fact that the mouths of the bottles are carved straight through the mouth details of the beast rather than adjusting the mouth of the beast to take a stopper, as is the case, for instance, in the fish bottles (Sale 6, lot 101 and Sale 7, lot 56). The very even, rather matt polish also links the best of the group.

Apart from the unusually flawless and white colour of the nephrite here, the carving is one of the finest of all the known bixi. The detailing and finish are exquisite, as they are on all the best of these beasts, but the slightly larger size and the whiteness of the jade set it apart.

This is not the Sotheby’s sale catalogue. This is a product of Hugh Moss for the purposes of this website. For the catalogue details please refer to Sotheby’s website or request a copy of a printed sale catalogue from Sotheby’s.