Lot 238

Lovely 19th C. Chinese Rose Quartz Courtesan Group

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Lot 238
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Lovely 19th C. Chinese Rose Quartz Courtesan Group
Lovely 19th C. Chinese Rose Quartz Courtesan Group
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Lovely 19th C. Chinese Rose Quartz Courtesan Group

Estimate: $400 - $600

Starting Bid: $175

(0 Bids)
by Artemis Fine Arts
June 25, 2026 9:00 AM MDT
Live Auction
686 S. Taylor Avenue
Suite 108
Louisville, CO, US 80027

East Asia, China, Qing Dynasty, ca. 19th century CE. A rose quartz carving of two female courtesans rendered from a single pale blush-pink stone, its natural translucency lending the figures an inner luminosity that no pigment could manufacture. The taller figure stands dominant, her elaborate tiered coiffure surmounted by floral ornaments carved with fine linear detail, her long robes falling in articulated folds as she holds a pipa, the four-stringed lute long associated in Chinese literati culture with feminine refinement, poetic longing, and the bittersweet pleasures of court entertainment. Beside her, a more petite companion leans slightly inward in a posture of easy familiarity, her own hair dressed in a simpler knot, her hands cradling a dizi, the transverse bamboo flute whose breathy timbre was considered among the most expressive voices in the classical Chinese instrumental repertoire. Size: 5.8" W x 10.1" H x 2.7" D (14.7 cm W x 25.7 cm H x 6.9 cm D); on included custom stand: 7.1" W x 11.8" H x 3.8" D (18.0 cm W x 30.0 cm H x 9.7 cm D)

The pairing of the two instruments, plucked string and blown reed, creates a visual metaphor for musical harmony rendered permanently in stone. The natural variation in the quartz, shifting from deeper rose at the base through translucent near-white at the headdresses, is exploited with carver's intelligence rather than concealed. The group rests on a conforming hardwood stand. Qing-period rose quartz figural carvings of this quality and scale are among the more sought-after expressions of Chinese decorative lapidary art, combining material luxury with iconographic elegance in a format that appealed equally to imperial and scholarly taste.

Provenance: private West Covina, California, USA collection

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Item # 202681

  • Condition: Very Good. Adhered to custom wooden stand with adhesive visible. More petite figure is missing proper left hand and taller figure is missing top of lute; both old breaks with weathering. Some natural striations to quartz and light surface wear with rubbing and abrasions in areas, all commensurate with age. Otherwise, very nice with good remaining detail and light patina.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000