Lot 74
CARVED IVORY WRIST REST Y
QING DYNASTY, 18TH/19TH CENTURY
Auction: 22 March 2016 at 10:00 GMT
Description
of typical form with curving sides, the decoration in high relief to the underside depicting a village scene with houses amongst pine trees and people engaged in various activities, the top carved in low relief depicting the Eight Immortals crossing the sea
Dimensions
35cm long
Footnote
Provenance:
A Private Glaswegian Collection
Note:
The scene of the Eight Immortals crossing the sea is based on a Ming work by an anonymous writer which tells the story of the Eight Immortals' journey to the Conference of the Magical Peach. On the way, they encounter an ocean, but instead of crossing with the help of the clouds, they decide to each exercise their unique power. The Chinese proverb "The Eight Immortals cross the sea, each reveals its divine power" refers to this tale and suggests that it is wise to utilise the skills and expertise of each member of a group in order to achieve a common goal.