Creamy Nephrite Jade Elephant Carving

Vintage Chinese nephrite jade ornament carved with an elephant and monkey duo.

The creamy carving is an ornamental paperweight.

A finely textured and ‘milky’ white nephrite is far from common, perhaps one notch under white mutton fat nephrite in terms of rarity.

Specifically this texture is described as ‘glutinous’ ( 糯 ).

Many online photos of nephrite ornaments are not as white and luminous when viewed in person.

This carving’s thorough whiteness presupposes a dense and blemish free material, though these are uncommon attributes altogether, highly valued in collectible nephrite.

Ming and Qing dynasty weights are usually sculpted in animal forms, this piece is an ode to opposing and composing qualities.

The recumbent monkey is curious hence easily distracted, the elephant is disciplined hence obedient.

Beyond overcoming obstacles and winning over difficulties, the way of the middle is a life experienced.

The bas relief carving maintains the material thickly, in order to strike a balance through an asymmetric form, the elephant leans over one side.

One cannot tell from the front but it surprises when the carving is seen whole, its asymmetry is poetic and playful, as if a little unsettled by the monkey’s persuasive abilities.

The elephant’s cloud-like ears and the monkey display as the glossiest protrusions at the top, though the whole carving appears to honour a semi-jelly denseness.

These material qualities distinguish the carving from just another folk or nephrite ornament.

Everything incised on the carving feels voluminous, the fineness of its nephrite develops manifold by these vigorous contours.

Kept childlike down to its feet, this ornament has an aesthetic poised between an ancient and modern matrix.

The carving measures 9.5 x 5.5 x 4 cm (thickest).