A FINE CHINESE IMPERIAL SPINACH-GREEN JADE QUATREFOIL 'WUFU' STAND

A FINE CHINESE IMPERIAL SPINACH-GREEN JADE QUATREFOIL 'WUFU' STAND
FOUR-CHARACTER QIANLONG MARK AND OF THE PERIOD 1736-95

Decorated to the centre with a bat resting upon an openwork shou medallion, the roundel surrounded by four stylised heads of lingzhi, each fungus carved upon a large ruyi-shaped leaf enclosing a small bat, the underside worked with four smaller pointed leaves, all supported on a flared quatre-lobed base raised on four ruyi-head shaped feet, incised with the reign mark to the interior of the foot, the green stone with some black specks, 21.6cm.

Provenance: the Lawrence Collection of jades and hardstone carvings, purchased from Spink & Son prior to 1959.

The five bats on this jade stand are symbolic of the Five Blessings of longevity, wealth, health, love of virtue and a peaceful death. The Chinese for 'five bats', wufu, is homophonous with that for the 'Five Blessings'.

清乾隆 碧玉雕五福捧壽海棠座

《乾隆年製》款

來源：勞倫斯珍藏玉石，1959年前購於Spink & Son。