A WHITE AND RUSSET JADE ‘DEER AND LINGZHI’ GROUP, 18TH CENTURY China. Finely carved as a recumbent deer with long, gently curved ears, the antlers terminating in lingzhi heads, a sprig of lingzhi in the deer’s mouth, a peach resting on its back, and a fawn nestled up to its mother’s side. The translucent stone is of a pure white tone with few yet distinct russet veins and small areas of russet skin.

Provenance: From the collection of Robert Youngman and thence by descent. Robert P. Youngman (1940-2018) was an investment advisor, philanthropist, and a great enthusiast of Asian art. In 1976, he founded the investment management firm Granite State Corporation, now known as Griffin Asset Management. Youngman joined the Board of Trustees of Middlebury College in 1980 and served as Chairman of its Board for several years. Besides forming an impressive collection himself, he established endowed funds at his alma mater to support the acquisition and curation of Asian art, and authored two books, one on Chinese porcelain and the other on Chinese jades.
Condition: Excellent condition with minor old wear, the stone with natural fissures, some of which may have developed into small hairline cracks over time. Good overall surface feel with a decent, natural luster.

Weight: 96.8 g
Dimensions: Length 8.2 cm

With a padded silk box and cover. (2)

Auction result comparison: Compare a closely related white jade group, also dated to the 18^th century and of identical size, at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in Important Chinese Works of Art on 7 April 2015, lot 3682, sold for HKD 562,500.

十八世紀白玉鹿啣靈芝
中國。白玉巧雕，結合多種雕刻技法，臥鹿口銜靈芝，靈芝纏卷與鹿角相似，打磨精細。子母鹿形象鮮活逼真，線條優美。整體質地厚潤，雕琢細膩且寓意祥瑞。白玉局部留皮。

來源：Robert Youngman 私人收藏，保存至今。Robert P. Youngman (1940-2018) 是一位投資顧問、慈善家和亞洲藝術愛好者。1976 年，他創立了投資管理公司 Granite State Corporation，現為 Griffin Asset Management。Youngman先生 於 1980 年加入Middlebury College董事會，並擔任董事會主席數年。除了自己的收藏外，他還在母校設立了捐贈基金，支持亞洲藝術的收購和策展，並著有兩本書，一本關於中國瓷器，另一本關於中國玉器。
品相：狀況極佳，有輕微舊時磨損，玉料有天然紋理，隨著時間的推移，其中一些可能會發展成細小的裂縫。整體表面感覺良好，光澤自然細膩。

重量：96.8 克
尺寸：長 8.2 厘米

絲面蓋盒。(2)

拍賣結果比較：比較一件相近的十八世紀白玉擺件，相同尺寸，見香港蘇富比Important Chinese Works of Art 2015年4月7日 lot 3682, 售價HKD 562,500。