A pale celadon jade 'phoenix' carving Qing dynasty, early 19th century

well carved as the mythical bird standing on its right leg, the left raised with claws clasping at one of its long coiled tail plumes curling beneath its wing, the elegant crested head turned back holding in its beak a trailing peony bough with blooms and leaves extending over its back, the long tail plumage falling in tiers on either side of its long legs and curling up beneath its body, the details finely incised, the pale stone with some slight darker flecking and faint russet suffusions, and an area of russet striations on one side, wood stand

(2)
22 cm high

Literature

Compare with a similar carving of a phoenix holding a peach bough, sold Sotheby's, New York, 12 September 2012, lot 361

Condition Report

A natural fissure of fine brown veins in the stone extending from the beak along the peony stem to the first leaf, another as a fine russet line extending across the center of the two peony blooms, and another extending down the tail plumes. A very minor frit on the edge of one or two peony petals and on the edge of the tip of a short tail plume. On the reverse side a small frit and whitish mark on the upper edge of the upright plumes springing from the wing. A natural fissure with brown striations in a circle around the wing area, and some slight russet suffusions on the tail plumes. Generally good condition.