A WHITE JADE ‘ZHANG QIAN’ COVER OF A BOX, CHINA, 18TH CENTURYWhile the white jade cover dates from the 18th century, the hardstone base and wood stand are probably from the late Qing dynasty. Of padlock form, the cover is finely carved in shallow relief and incised with Zhang Qian paddling on his raft along a shore surrounded by rockwork and clouds, pierced to the interior rim with two small apertures. The stone is of a beautiful and translucent white color with icy white inclusions.Provenance: Swedish trade.Condition: The white jade cover is in very good condition with minor wear and minuscule nibbling to the rim. The hardstone base is a later replacement, broken in two pieces and repaired with associated minor losses. The hardwood stand is in good condition with expected old wear, few small nicks, and natural tiny age cracks.Weight: 93.3 g (excl. stand) and 125.6 g (incl. stand)Dimensions: Length 6.4 cmThe hardwood stand decorated with a key-fret band and a reticulated apron with a floral design. (3)Zhang Qian (died c. 114 BC) was a Chinese official and diplomat who served as an imperial envoy to the world outside of China in the late 2nd century BC during the Han dynasty. He was one of the first official diplomats to bring back valuable information about Central Asia to the Han dynasty imperial court, then ruled by Emperor Wu of Han. In Chinese art, he is often depicted on a floating raft.十八世紀白玉張騫乘槎蓋盒白玉盒蓋可追溯至十八世紀，而硬石底座和木座則可能是晚清時期的。盒蓋成掛鎖形，淺浮雕張騫坐船沿著劃槳的場景，兩個小孔刺穿到內緣。玉石呈美麗的半透明白色，內含冰白色絮狀物。