Beautiful Little Antique Chinese Soapstone Figurine of Chinese Immortal He Xiangu

THE STORY - There she was sitting at the bottom of the viewing cabinet at a local auction, and I jumped as I knew I had once before had a very similar item in my shop a couple of years ago but that was a bust only of a young boy, their faces so equally beautiful. After winning her I set upon my usual research as my knowledge of Chinese Antiques is not vast in any sense of the word. Here is what I believe. The figurine one of the Eight Chinese Immortals, the only acknowledged Female one by the name He Xiangu, which I have also seen written as Ho Hsien Ku. The Eight Immortals are legendary in Chinese Mythology, each Immortal's power can be transferred through a vessel bestowing life or destroying evil. My understanding is that He Xiangu improves one health both mental and physical and is most often seen depicted with a lotus flower or sometimes a fly whisk which my figurine has. The figurine is made of soapstone and the nearest comparison I have found are examples which come from the late Ming or early Qing Dynasties and interestingly to me they have been described as being highlighted with painted enamel, which I do think is true of this little figurine, although a lot has been worn off, the paint that does survive has such vibrancy to it. The figurine has been placed on a later base which I do think is also soapstone and I absolutely love the old brown orange glue which ouzes out from the join. On the underneath of the base there is some initials which I cannot read and the number 1827, this could be the date when the figurine was acquired, or indeed it could be a number of registration of an individuals collection, either way I would imagine this item on it's added base would date to the early 1800s with the figurine itself dating to the 1700s and the Qing Dynasty.

DATE - Circa 1700s

CONDTION - This little figurine is quite a survivor but she does have the scars to prove it. Firstly there is a chip of the bun on top of her head where her fly whisk falls over her shoulder. There is a nip taken out on the back of her collar at the opposite side and there are numerous little flea bite chips over the figurine. As I have already mentioned the painting of her hair, her fly whisk and her costume is worn, but not on her face on her eyes and lips which is wonderful. Please see all the photos.

DIMENSIONS (Approx) - Height 3 & 1/2"/ 9cm, Width 1 & 1/4" / cm, Depth 1 & 1/2" / 3.5cm

I find myself thinking I have not done this figurine justice with my description as I have not mentioned the most important thing to me her beauty, that beautiful face with her head bent forward and slightly dipped and her long fine nose above those tiny pursed lips, and that hair so wonderfully carved into her two buns at the top of her head and almost a bow like formation at the back. And then there is her hand holding up her fly whisk, I adore her little fingers. I love her from the front, I love her from the back and I love her from the sides but most of all I love that face and I do think as she did in the 1800s, she deserves to have a place in a much loved collection again.