28.5 cm. （11 1⁄4 in.） high

Each of these candlestick holders is formed as a duck perched on a tortoise with its wings spread wide and bill lowered. The head is fashioned with a tapering prick to suspend candles and the base supporting a circular drip pan to catch the melted candlewax.
Each candlestick depicts one duck or yiya （一鴨）， which conveys the auspicious blessing of ‘may you come first in the palace examinations’. As the word duck or ya is a homophone for jia （甲）， it is also a radical term for steadfastness； it is also a term to classify the first place for successful examination candidates. As the tortoise is also a symbol of immutability， it further bestows the user with auspicious blessings of longevity and stability. The tortoise motif is hence often worked on pillars， depicted as finials on personal seals， used to support stone tablets carved with the edicts of emperors， as well as sturdy bases for candlesticks as exemplified by the current lot.

Provenance：
Robert E. and Katharine Chew Tod Collection and by descent within the family
Sotheby’s New York， 23 March 2011， lot 615

Price estimate:
HKD: 650, 000-750, 000
USD: 83, 300-96, 200

Auction Result:
HKD: --