A SMALL CHINESE IMPERIAL AGATE 'HEAVENLY DOVE' VASE

FOUR CHARACTER QIANLONG MARK AND OF THE PERIOD 1736-95

The stout body raised on a short flared foot and surmounted by a waisted neck, carved in relief with three doves standing tall to the exterior, with archaistic scrolls dividing the birds, the base finely incised with the four character reign mark, the stone a dark grey colour with paler areas and striations, 9.1cm.

Cf. Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum, Jade, vol.10, p.136, no.99 for a similar pale celadon jade item also with a four character Qianlong mark; see also Marchant, Ninety Jades for 90 Years, pp.172-173, no.89 for a comparable Jiaqing period example in spinach-green jade; see also The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Jadeware (II), p.36, no.33 for a jade Tang dynasty version of this piece.