Intricate, Ornate Hand-Carved Soapstone Double Bowl Carving
20 October 2018
Description

I believe this is a vintage Chinese soapstone carving. The total weight of this piece is 4 pounds 0.7 ounces. It measures approximately 7 3/4" tall, 8" side-to-side, and 4" front-to-back. There are two vases...one is a shallow bowl and the other a taller bud vase. The carving is quite intricate and ornate...bird, flowers, foliage. The color is a pale, almost jade-like green

Provenance

Unfortunately I do not know the provenance of this carving. It was purchased for a reduced price on the last day of a high end estate sale.

Acquired from
Other
For sale
Yes
Answered within about 12 hours
By Grace Harlow
Oct 21, 00:47 UTC
Fair Market Value
$300 - $500 USD
Insurance Value $0 USD
What does this mean?

The appraised work is a Chinese soapstone carving likely from the latter portion of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), probably late 19th/ very early 20th century. The carving depicts a pair of flowering vases with intricately, reticulated carved chrysanthemum branches and an intermingled bird. A particularly soft rock, soapstone has been carved by Chinese artisans for centuries. The material is characterized by a “soap-like” feel, which is due to the significant presence of talc. Soapstone coloration varies and can include cream/off-white, red, brown, and green. Due to its abundance and continued popularity, many soapstone carvings were created for the tourist and export markets.

The estimate provided is based on comparable examples recently offered and sold at auction. In many cases, pricing for similar examples available on the retail market vary and are often higher than secondary market examples.

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