A transparent green Ruyi sceptre with high relief

Late 18th to early 19th century
Length: 12 1/4 in (31 cm)

A transparent green ruyi scepter, the color simulating emerald green jadeite, the handle covered all over with lingzhi carved in high relief, the head similarly carved with a monkey grasping a branch of peaches.

Although the ruyi scepter was originally a symbol of wisdom and power reserved for the Emperor and nobility, it also means “as you wish.” The ruyi is often found in Chinese art associated with other symbols and the present example is decorated with three motifs for longevity: the monkey, the peach, and the fungus of immortality, or lingzhi.

Exhibited: Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, Florida, January – May 1999

Published:
Emily Byrne Curtis, Pure Brightness Shines Everywhere: The Glass of China (Burlington: 2004), cat. no. 10.5.
Asiantiques, Chinese Qing Dynasty Glass Treasures: A Selection from the Gadient Collection (2009), cat. no. 38

(Hard cover catalogue, 64 glass artworks, 64 pp, full color illustrations, English text and Chinese captions. Catalogue available for purchase, $45 including domestic shipping, $55 international. The catalogue can also be viewed online in pdf format. Please contact us or visit our "exhibitions" page for more information.)

Ref. 862982

SOLD