A CHINESE PALE CELADON JADE BOX AND COVER

QING DYNASTY

Formed as a crouching bird, its feet tucked beneath its body, the feathers to its back naturalistically carved, the stone with russet markings, together with two agate carvings, one formed as a mythical ao, the other as an openwork peony flower, 16cm. (4)

Provenance: Lt. Col. Edmund Whitehead (1870-1945), an interpreter for the British Army who served in Beijing c.1890, and thence by descent.