Female Fu Lion carving in 'Jelly Quality' Chicken Bloodstone
This is a piece of "Jelly" Chicken Blood Stone carved in the image of a Female Fu Lion, depicted to be playing with it's offspring. It is composed of a translucent stone with visible floating cinnabar inclusions. The material of the piece resembles "wax with suspended blood" in ambient light. However it reveals a pink-to-orange coloration in indirect sunlight. Documented 'Stone Sweating' event: 'Stone Sweating': Documented visible exudation of micro-beads of liquid from its lower half (observed Dec 1, 2024, on a hot, humid day, please see images attached). This is a prized characteristic in precious stones. I have attached key corroborating images of the piece and the 'Stone Sweating' event. I believe this is a desirable and esteemed quality among precious stones. Provenance: Retains its original 1980s retail tag ($120) and brocade box. It comes from a collection with extensive 1980s government-sourced documentation. The collection consists of 17 Chinese scholarly items, assembled by a single Singaporean collector in the 1980s and boasting comprehensive provenance from official Chinese Communist Party controlled sources, after the Cultural Revolution, evidenced by original paper tags, boxes and receipts. I can provide additional high-resolution images, and further provenance documentation upon your request. This is part of the same collection as this piece: https://app.mearto.com/items/chicken-bloodstone-panel
4 x 2.5 x 2
Other
Yes
Hello, this item is a carved figure of a female Fu Lion rendered in high-grade “jelly quality” Chicken Bloodstone, a highly sought-after ornamental stone from Changhua, Zhejiang Province. The translucent body of the lion is embedded with cinnabar-red inclusions, lending it the name “chicken bloodstone.” The lion is shown playing with a cub, a common motif symbolizing protection and maternal strength. The surface texture and coloration suggest a waxy, semi-translucent finish that glows pink-orange under indirect light. The stone has also reportedly exhibited the rare “stone sweating” phenomenon, a prized feature among connoisseurs of Chinese scholar’s stones and seals.
The carving comes in its original 1980s silk brocade box and bears a dated retail tag, situating its provenance within a collection formed in Singapore with Chinese state-sourced artifacts after the Cultural Revolution. This level of traceable provenance adds value, particularly when accompanied by paper tags and photographic documentation. While the form is relatively modest in execution, the rarity of the stone, its jelly quality, and the documented sweating phenomenon significantly elevate its appeal. Based on current demand for bloodstone carvings with confirmed provenance and rare traits, the fair market value is approximately $1,800 to $2,400 USD.
