A WHITE-PALE GREEN JADE CARVING OF AN ELEPHANT AND BOY Qianlong/Jiaqing The beast deftly carved standing foursquare, the wrinkles in the hide meticulously rendered, the large head with almond-shaped eyes and long trunk between sharp tusks gazing forward as a boy clambers atop, the caparison finely carved in low relief with rocks emerging from crashing waves beneath ruyi clouds, the stone of even pale green-white tone. 11.5cm (4 1/2in) long. Footnotes: 清乾隆/嘉慶 青玉雕童子騎象擺件 Provenance: Sotheby's London, 24 April 1987, Lot 319  Trudy and John Cohen, collection no.H28 來源：倫敦蘇富比，1987年4月24日，拍品編號319  Trudy及John Cohen伉儷，收藏編號H28 A jade carving of a boy climbing atop an elephant is imbued with auspicious symbolism and playful rebus meaning. The elephant (xiang 象) forms a homophone with 祥 (xiang, 'auspiciousness'), while 'riding an elephant' (qi xiang 騎象) puns with jixiang (吉祥), meaning 'auspicious' or 'good fortune'. The motif may thus be read as a visual expression of blessings for good luck and favourable outcomes. Compare with a related example in the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Jadeware (III), Hong Kong, 1995, pl.97. See a similar white jade and russet carving of an elephant and boy, Qianlong, which was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 7 October 2010, lot 2617. See also a related white jade elephant and boy group, which was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 9 October 2012, lot 3134. This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * * VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing