Qing dynasty, probably late 18th century-Early 19th century Standing on an attached rockwork pedestal, the bearded figure wearing flowing robes tied with a sash above belly level, that falls towards his feet, and incised with numerous peach groups supporting shou characters edged in a wave design, the robes at his rotund belly carved with a panel of a crane above waves, he holds a ruyi scepter with an unusually large coiled fungus head across his left arm, traces of red and black pigments to his lips, eyes and hair at the back of his head. 11in (27.9cm) high, overallFootnotes清 壽山石雕壽老像 Provenance: Ralph M. Chait Galleries, New York 來源: Ralph M. Chait Galleries, 紐約 For another similar-sized large standing figure of Shoulao posed holding a ruyi scepter and dated 17th/18th Century, see Gerard Hawthorn Ltd., Oriental Works of Art, London, June 2001, no. 65, where it is noted that another soapstone figure of Shoulao from the Sloane Collection (which formed the inception collection of the British Museum in 1753) is illustrated in Chinese Ivories from the Shang to the Qing, British Museum, London, 1984, no. 100. Other standing figures of Shoulao, also known as Shouxing, one of the three stellar gods of chinese mythology, Fulushou, were offered at Bonhams, London 14 May 2019, lot 791 and Christie's, London, 15 June 1999, lot 134.