Page 184 - Bonhams, Fine Chinese Art, London November 3, 2022

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A PAIR OF BRONZE BUDDHIST LIONS A RARE AND VERY LARGE PALE GREEN In 1945, James Basil Wilson returned from
AND STANDS AND GREY JADE CARVING OF A The Second World War having served with
Wanli four-character marks, late Qing Dynasty RECLINING HOUND the Gurkhas. He married Julia Burke in 1949
The pair comprising a powerful and fiercely Late Qing Dynasty and they moved to London. James started
cast seated male lion with brocade ball, and The slender recumbent hound carved with its working for Iron and Steel Exporters and
matching female playing with a cub, both with head turned facing the rear, with front paws later that year, he was offered the chance to
tightly scrolling manes and bell and tassel- together and hind legs tucked beside its belly, set up an office Hong Kong, so they moved
ornamented bands across their broad chests, the back finely detailed with the spinal ridge, there and set up home. The business was
each with associated rectangular stands cast the ribs well defined, the stone of greenish successful, they loved Hong Kong and they
with brocade covers decorated with intricate and dark tone suffused with brown inclusions, lived the life of expatriates to the full. They
diaper designs. box. 30.7cm (12in) long. (2). swam, played golf, made friends and indulged
Overall 34cm (13 3/8in) high. (4). their passion for fast cars, competing in
£20,000 - 30,000 amateur road races. Julia claimed to have
£6,000 - 8,000 CNY160,000 - 240,000 won at the first Macau Grand Prix. As well
CNY47,000 - 63,000 as enjoying the pastimes of the culture
清晚期 玉臥犬 they brought with them, they developed an
enduring love for China, Chinese people,
清晚期 銅獅一對 Chinese food and Chinese art. With a growing
「大明萬曆年製」款 Provenance: Christie’s London, 4 April 1979, family, they returned to England in 1957. They
lot 226 brought with them the pieces they had bought
Provenance: formerly in a private English James Basil Wilson and Julia Wilson, and in Hong Kong and James made many trips
collection thence by descent to Hong Kong and continued to build their
collection throughout the following decades
來源：英國私人舊藏 來源：倫敦佳士得，1979年4月4日，拍品編 mainly from dealers in London.
號226
Compare with a related pair of bronze models James Basil Wilson與Julia Wilson伉儷舊藏，
of Buddhist lions and stands, 19th century, 並由後人保存迄今
which was sold at Christie’s London, 9
November 2010, lot 151.

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
182 | BONHAMS please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue.