A lovely late Qing elephant and monkey jade handling piece carved from a solid celadon tone nephrite with russet inclusions.
We know its a handling piece due to its size and the curvature of the elephant which rests the back of the carving into the curve of your palm. It would have been something similar to a fidget spinner but designed for reflection and thought. Until the end of the imperial Qing Dynasty there was still a focus on older philosophies and cultural beliefs. This would of course change as China would go on to experience an extremely turbulent, violent, and transformative period during the war and interwar years.
Given the size of this piece, at 4 cm tall, this particular carving is extremely well worked with the elephant turning it's head in movement. My only gripe would be the feet which do not have the trunk like appearance that we would generally expect on an elephant. Despite this, it is a very cute piece that we would date to the very late Qing period (around 1900).
In terms of symbolism, the elephant signifies strength and wisdom in Chinese culture while the monkey symbolises intelligence. The two combined were likely meant to act in combination to provide the owner with career luck or perhaps this was gifted after a significant career move.
The final polish is very fine and the celadon tone of the jade is quite lovely.
Weight: 120 grams
At Antiquus, we have been trading professionally in antiques for several generations. We stand by all our descriptions and antiques appraisals and valuations. Our specialists have studied extensively with post-graduate degrees in the arts.
If you are in doubt about anything please do feel free to ask and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Please feel free to contact us for more details about this piece, including additional images (we will be working on video clips in future). Reasonable offers are always carefully considered.
Exchanges and returns
We accept returns and exchanges if the item is found to be at fault or does not meet the description provided. You must advise us within 30-days of receipt. Please provide as much detail as possible.
Return postage and packing are at your cost.
We know its a handling piece due to its size and the curvature of the elephant which rests the back of the carving into the curve of your palm. It would have been something similar to a fidget spinner but designed for reflection and thought. Until the end of the imperial Qing Dynasty there was still a focus on older philosophies and cultural beliefs. This would of course change as China would go on to experience an extremely turbulent, violent, and transformative period during the war and interwar years.
Given the size of this piece, at 4 cm tall, this particular carving is extremely well worked with the elephant turning it's head in movement. My only gripe would be the feet which do not have the trunk like appearance that we would generally expect on an elephant. Despite this, it is a very cute piece that we would date to the very late Qing period (around 1900).
In terms of symbolism, the elephant signifies strength and wisdom in Chinese culture while the monkey symbolises intelligence. The two combined were likely meant to act in combination to provide the owner with career luck or perhaps this was gifted after a significant career move.
The final polish is very fine and the celadon tone of the jade is quite lovely.
Weight: 120 grams
At Antiquus, we have been trading professionally in antiques for several generations. We stand by all our descriptions and antiques appraisals and valuations. Our specialists have studied extensively with post-graduate degrees in the arts.
If you are in doubt about anything please do feel free to ask and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Please feel free to contact us for more details about this piece, including additional images (we will be working on video clips in future). Reasonable offers are always carefully considered.
Exchanges and returns
We accept returns and exchanges if the item is found to be at fault or does not meet the description provided. You must advise us within 30-days of receipt. Please provide as much detail as possible.
Return postage and packing are at your cost.