Page 90 - Christie's Hong Kong May 31, 2017 Important Chinese Ceramics and Art

THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN

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A RARE PAIR OF CLOISONNE ENAMEL Incense burners in the form of peacocks are very rare; compare
with three single examples, the first from Mrs L. E. Redding, sold
‘PEACOCK’ CENSERS at Sotheby’s London, 14 December 1971, lot 5; the second sold at
Sotheby’s London, 21 May 1963, lot 102; the third from the C. Ruxton
QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795) and Audrey B. Love Collection, sold at Christie’s New York, 20 October
2004, lot 588. A pair of similar censers was sold at Christie’s Hong
The peacocks are naturalistically modelled standing on clawed feet Kong, 30 May 2006, lot 1283.

with their necks turned back and the heads topped by gilt feathered Peacocks are considered auspicious birds and it is known that such
birds were kept by Emperor Qianlong in the palace grounds. A large
crests with pointed gilt beaks. The birds are intricately enamelled hanging scroll entitled: Qianlong guan kongque kaiping, ‘Emperor
Qianlong Watching the Peacock in Its Pride’, dated to the cyclical
in shades of turquoise, blue and red with gilt wire highlights. The wuyin year (1758) depicts a scene of the seated Emperor observing
peacocks in the imperial gardens, see Paintings of the Court Artists
body is hollow with the wings forming as a detachable cover. of the Qing Court, The Complete Collection of the Treasures of the
Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 1996, pp. 194-195. The inscription on the
17 ¡ in. (44.1 cm.) long (2) painting recorded by the Emperor indicates that peacocks were sent
as tributary gifts from foreign dignitaries. The Emperor further noted
HK$2,000,000-3,000,000 US$260,000-390,000 on the painting that when at leisure he took pleasure in watching these
curious birds sway their bodies around the palace grounds; he admired
PROVENANCE their beautiful feathers and after five years of nurture, the birds had
learned to fan their tails.
Masterpieces of the Enameller’s Art from the Mandell Collection,
sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 30 May 2012, lot 3909

清乾隆 掐絲琺瑯孔雀蓋爐一對

來源
《華彩熠然—文德爾伉儷珍藏掐絲琺瑯器》，香港佳士
得，2012年5月30日，拍品3909號

以孔雀為造型的香爐極為罕見，2006年5月30日香港佳士得拍出一對與
此器甚為接近的孔雀香爐，拍品1283號。另一例為 Mrs. L.E. Redding的
舊藏，1971年12月14日於倫敦蘇富比拍賣，拍品5號。另一件則於1963
年2月21日經倫敦蘇富比拍出，拍品102號。另見北京故宮博物館收藏之
乾隆時期銅鍍金仙鶴馱亭式錶，其裝飾手法與本對孔雀相若，該例曾於
澳門藝術博物館2004年舉辦《日升月恒—故宮珍藏鐘錶文物》展覽中展
出，圖錄圖版27號。

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