A rare jade cup in the form of half a peach, the exterior is worked with stems, leaves and peach blossom, the openwork stems forming a handle, and with two parrots. The interior is well hollowed. The stone is a greyish-green tone with russet markings skilfully used within the design.

Yuan to Ming dynasty
Length: 4 1/2”, 11.4 cm

For similar examples, see Jadeware (II):The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, no. 220, p. 287; Pearl of the Orient – Treasures of the Hong Kong Museum of Art, no. 128, p. 102 (dated Southern Song); Great National Treasures of China: Special Exhibition in Kaohsiung City Loaned by the National Palace Museum’s Seventieth Anniversary, no. 35, p. 75; and Gugong Baoji (Jade, Ceramics, Paintings), no. 28, pp. 55-6. A similar vessel was excavated from a Yuan tomb of 1320 (illustrated in Wenwu, No. 12, 1964, p. 52).