A CHINESE LAPIS LAZULI MOUNTAIN, 19TH CENTURY deeply carved on the front with a sage and two attendants traversing a bridge on their way to a pavilion nestled amidst trees, while a third attendant ascends a path higher up the mountain-side that leads to a terrace on the reverse where two cranes await, with pine, bamboo and two deer standing on a ledge below 29cm long excluding wood stand Provenance: a private collection formed in Asia prior to WWII, and thence by descent within the family, until sold Christie's, New York, 22/23 March 2012, lot 1938; private Asian collection. See a related lapis lazuli boulder carved with similar decoration apparently to be found in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in Zhongguo meishu fenlei quanji, Zhongguo yuqi quanji, Vol.6 Qing, Hebei, 1991, p.180, No.262, where it is dated middle Qing dynasty. Descriptions in both printed and on-line catalogue formats do not include condition reports and all lots are sold as viewed. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in good condition. Prospective bidders are recommended to request a condition report prior to bidding, wherever possible satisfying themselves in person at the gallery as to the condition of a lot.