WHITE JADE WITH RUSSET SKIN CARVING OF A SEATED BEAR HAN DYNASTY OR LATER 漢或以後 白玉帶皮雕坐熊擺件 carved in seated pose with front paws supporting upper body, left front limb charged forward with body and face slightly turned left, alerted bulging eyes, pricked ears, strong jaw incised with details, the stone of white colour with russet patches and lines (7.8cm high) Qty: (1) Provenance: Formerly in the collection of Adrianus Cornelis Maria Verhelst (b. 26th February 1955), The Netherlands. Note: The relaxed posture and playful attitude resembles the Ellsworth bear, a gilt-bronze seated bear dated to the Western Han dynasty (206BC-8AD) and was in the collection of Robert Hatfield Ellsworth and sold at Christie's New York, 17th March 2015, lot 1. Such relaxed naturalism in the asymmetrical pose, informal manner and somewhat whimsical presentation finds in an antecedent of a small jade bear in Harvard’s Grenville L. Winthrop Collection (object no.1943.50.310) that dates to the Warring States period (475 BC–221 BC).