A LARGE SOAPSTONE FIGURE OF ZHANG GUOLAO 17th/18th century

A LARGE SOAPSTONE FIGURE OF ZHANG GUOLAO 17th/18th century The Immortal finely carved standing on rockwork, with a long beard and a smiling expression, wearing a scholar's cap and long flowing robes incised with striding dragons amidst clouds and a large Shou character, holding a large bamboo drum in his hands, traces of gilt and coloured pigments. 45cm (17 6/8in) high. Footnotes: 十七/十八世紀 壽山石雕張果老立像 Provenance : Sir Michael Oppenheimer (3rd Baronet, 1924-2020) and Lady Helen Oppenheimer DD (1926-2022), and thence by descent 來源 ：Michael Oppenheimer 爵士（三代從男爵，1924-2020年）與Helen Oppenheimer爵士夫人（1926-2022年）舊藏，並由後人保存迄今 The collection belonged to Sir Michael and Lady Oppenheimer DD (3rd Baronet, 1924-2020). Sir Michael's maternal grandparents were Sir Robert Grenville Harvey, 2nd Baronet (1856-1931) and Lady Emily Blanche Harvey (1872-1935) of Langley Park, Buckinghamshire. The Chinese art collection can be, at least in part, traced back to Langley Park, Buckinghamshire, home to the Harvey Baronets from 1788 until 1945, as demonstrated in a pre-1945 photograph showing Lot 122, the cloisonné enamel tripod 'elephant' incense burner, Qianlong. Sir Michael Oppenheimer's paternal family was the well-known South African mining family. The baronetcy was created in 1921 for Bernard Oppenheimer, Chairman of the South African Diamond Corporation for setting up diamond sorting factories to employ wounded ex-servicemen after the First World War. The family has been involved with De Beers over many decades. Lady Oppenheimer DD (1926-2022) was a distinguished moral and philosophical theologian, with a particular interest in the ethics pertaining to personal relationships. Zhang Guolao, one of the Eight Immortals, is recognisable by his tube-shaped bamboo drum, sometimes with mallets or rods. Compare with a related soapstone figure of Zhang Guolao, 18th century, illustrated by Ho Kam-chuen, Splendour of the Qing Dynasty , Hong Kong, 1992, p.384, no.250; see another example illustrated by M.Eberle, Götter aus Stein: Die Sammlung chinesischer Specksteinfiguren auf Schloss Friedenstien Gotha , Gotha, 2015, no.213. Compare with a related soapstone figure of Zhang Guolao, 18th century, which was sold at Christie's London, 8 November 2013, lot 1410. This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * * VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com