A spinach green jade Champion Vase finely sculpted in an archaic style, with two cylindrical vases decorated with hanging blades and archaic motifs, the two cylinders joined by an eagle with spread wings resting on a crouching bear, bearing the Fang gu mark on the bottom, with wooden base China, Qing dynasty 18th-19th century (h. 19 cm) (slight defects)   This type of vase with the combination of eagle and bear is known as "champion vases", since the Chinese names for eagle, ying, and for bear, xiong, provide the homophones for "champion", ying xiong. Such vessels are also known as "wedding cups", used as ritual wine cups during wedding ceremonies in the Ming period Vessels of this shape were produced during the Ming and Qing dynasties, although the original shape most likely dates back to bronze examples from earlier periods, the decorative motifs on the cylinders suggest an archaistic influence, and in several Qing examples the fanggu mark, "imitation of antiquity", was placed to further accentuate the relationship with archaism

Estimate € 8,000 - 10,000

Sold € 19,000