Beschreibung:

Katalognummer: CA0919-200 A MASSIVE JADE ‘WALLOWING’ WATER BUFFALO, MING China, 17th century. Green jade mottled with brown, buff and black inclusions, cleverly used by the lapidary to depict buffalo’s muddy fur from wallowing. Well carved in a recumbent position with legs tucked beneath the full, rounded body and neatly incised tail flicked to one side. Provenance: Rare Art, Inc., New York, USA. Acquired by the parents of the present owner from the above, May 30th, 1973. Copies of invoice and hand-written order are accompanying this lot. Thence by descent. Note that in the Rare Art invoice the present lot is dated as “XVII C.” (17th century) Old inventory number “V14-40” inscribed in white lacquer to wooden base, possibly referring to an earlier acquisition date (April 1st, 1940). Condition: Excellent condition with old wear and fine patina. Weight: 2255.7 grams (without base) Dimensions: Length 19 cm across Head turned towards the viewer with mouth, nostrils and eyes carved in fine detail. The imposing ribbed horns elegantly curved and resting on the protruding neck, which is slanting towards the ridged spine. Customized hardwood stand, dating from 20th century. (2) Literature comparison: Large jade carvings of water buffalos were highly appreciated by some of the most important collectors of jade and museums, such as the one bequeathed by Oscar Raphael in 1941 to the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, the jade buffalo in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, gifted in 1936, and the Lionel de Rothschild buffalo, now in the Woolf Charitable Trust and on exhibit in the British Museum, London. Auction result comparison: Compare with another mottled green jade buffalo of near identical size from the Irving collection, sold by Christies New York on March 21st, 2019, lot 1172. Wallowing Behavior Water buffalo like hanging out in water and wallowing the mud. They are typically put to work in the morning and taken to a pond, river or mud hole in the afternoon heat to wallow in the mud or water and often relax in a position in which they are nearly completely submerged with only their nostrils showing. In addition to cooling the animal, wallowing helps remove skin parasites and keep away biting flies and other pests. According to National Geographic, water buffalo spend much of their day submerged in the muddy waters of Asia’s tropical and subtropical forests. Their wide-splayed hoofed feet prevent them from sinking too deeply in the mud and allow them to move about in wetlands and swamps. 明代玉雕臥牛 中國，十七世紀。綠色玉石上斑駁的褐色、淺黃色和黑色内沁。巧妙利用玉石本身肌理和内沁來表現水牛渾身泥濘。 生動活潑，雙腿夾在完整圓潤的身體下方，整齊的尾巴向一側甩動。 來源：現藏家的父母于1973年5月30日在美國紐約Rare Art, Inc藝廊購得。隨附發票複印件和 手寫訂購文件。之後一直保存至今。在發票上寫著當前拍品為 “XVII C.” (十七世紀)，木底座上白漆寫著舊時收藏編號 “V14-40”，可能是指1940年4月1日收購。 品相：品相極好，舊時磨損，包漿細膩。 重量：2255.7 克 (不含底座) 尺寸：對角長 19 厘米 Schätzpreis 估價: € 5.000 Startpreis 起拍價: € 2.500 -