Page 100 - Sotheby's Important Chinese Art, Sept. 21-22, 2-21, NYC

PROPERTY FROM
THE JUNKUNC COLLECTON

史蒂芬•瓊肯三世：一個收藏家的故事

LOT RANGE 47–54

The legacy of Stephen Junkunc, III (d. 1978) evokes a 綜觀中國藝術品收藏界，僅有為數不多的一些名字能夠使人
period during which some of the greatest Chinese trea- 立刻聯想到那些精美絕倫的不世之珍，史蒂芬・瓊肯三世便
sures came to America. Today, his name is recognized 是其中之一。這個名字代表著一個時代，見證著中國藝術品
as one of the most important, and indeed desirable, 進軍西方市場的空前繁盛時期。如今，「瓊肯」之名已成為
provenances for Chinese art. Formed in America in the 中國藝術品收藏界舉足輕重、令廣大藏家趨之若鶩的顯赫來
mid-20th century, the Junkunc Collection at its height 源。瓊肯珍藏由史蒂芬・瓊肯三世（1978年逝）在二十世紀
numbered over 2,000 examples of exceptional Chinese 中期於美國悉心庋集而成，高峰時期藏品數量一度高達兩千
porcelain, jade, bronzes, paintings and Buddhist sculp- 件有餘，其中包括中國瓷器、玉器、青銅器、書畫及佛教造
tures, which testified to his impeccable taste, insatiable 像等，兼收並蓄，尋盡千古，集成大宗，珍如滄海之遺珠，
intellectual curiosity, and unparalleled access to fine 廣若浩瀚之星雲。
works of art.
By the early 1950s, Junkunc had amassed an impres- 直至1950年代初，瓊肯先生的中國藝術品收藏達到了高峰。
sive collection of Chinese works of art which by then 他在位於伊利諾伊州奧克帕克的宅邸打造了一個博物館級
was largely securely stored in the museum-like envi- 地下避難所，作為這些珍寶的家園。1952年，《芝加哥論壇
rons of a subterranean bomb shelter in the grounds of 報》撰寫了一篇報導，內容指出這間地庫藏有許多「珍貴的
his home in Oak Park, Illinois. In a 1952 profile in the 無價之寶，架上的中國藝術品不勝枚舉、琳瑯滿目，集歷代
Chicago Tribune, the bunker is described as storing a 之大成，以繡帷、銅器、玉器、陶器、龍袍及漆器珍品記錄
‘priceless hoard’, with ‘shelves weighted with priceless 了這個偉大國家的輝煌歷史」。
pieces of Chinese art, prizes produced thru a span of
centuries. A record of a nation in tapestry, bronze, jade, 紐約大學藝術學院名譽退休教授Alfred Salmony (1890-1958)
pottery, robes, and lacquer’. 是當時國際上最具權威的中國古玉專家之一。他曾在
1938年出版著作《Carved Jade of Ancient China》。1950年2
Stephen Junkunc, III opened his collections to lead- 月，Salmony前往拜訪瓊肯，並參觀了其中國玉器收藏，隨
ing scholars at the time. In February 1950 when the 後便計劃編寫一部關於中國玉器史的專著，合共兩冊，時定
renowned scholar Alfred Salmony (1890-1958) was 名為《Chinese Jades of All Periods》。當時，學術界對高古
planning a two-volume history of Chinese jade, he visited 以後的玉器研究尚淺，兩人懷著對中國古玉的熱愛以及對梳
Chicago to study Junkunc’s collection of early Chinese 理此類玉器的共同目標，很快結為摯友。接下來逾八年時
jades. This meeting forged a strong friendship between 間裡， 瓊肯與英國藏家Desmond Gure (1905-1970) 對Salmony
the two men, who shared a passion for the material and a 的新書編著給予了鼎力支持。遺憾的是，Salmony於1958年
desire to formulate a chronology for post-archaic jades, a 4月29日前往倫敦的海途上不幸去世，故此，這部書最終未
subject little understood at the time. For over eight years, 能完成。此專著的第一冊後來於1963年發行出版，更名為
Junkunc and the English collector Desmond Gure (1905– 《Chinese Jade Through the Wei Dynasty》，其中刊錄了瓊肯
1970) supported Salmony in the research and prepara- 及Gure的數件玉器藏珍。
tion of this book. Following Salmony’s untimely death,
the first half of his book was published posthumously 在瓊肯先生的收藏之路上，他長期對美國的各大博物館提供
in 1963, entitled Chinese Jade Through the Wei Dynasty, 大力支持。身為芝加哥的藏家，他與芝加哥藝術博物館關係
illustrating a number of works from both Junkunc and 緊密，並在1940年代至1960年代之間多次出借摯愛藏品，供
Gure’s collections. 其辦展。瓊肯之珍藏曾參展芝加哥藝術博物館極具影響力
Throughout his lifetime, Stephen Junkunc, III worked 的明代青花瓷大展，該展後於1949年移師至費城藝術博物館
closely with and actively supported the curators at 繼續展出。除此以外，洛杉磯歷史、科學及藝術博物館亦於
American museums. From the 1940s-1960s, he regularly 1956年與瓊肯先生合作，舉辦了一個唐代藝術大展。瓊肯先
loaned works to the Art Institute of Chicago, and he 生對美國博物館慷慨囊助，為推廣中國文化不遺餘力，曾將
also gifted works to the Milwaukee Public Museum, and 藏品捐贈予威州密爾瓦基歷史博物館以及佛州邁阿密大學
the Lowe Art Museum, Miami. Works from the Junkunc 洛伊美術館。
Collection were also loaned to the seminal Ming Blue and
White exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago, which
traveled to the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 1949, and
to the Arts of the T’ang exhibition of 1956, at the Los
Angeles Museum of History, Science and Art.

96 SOTHEBY’S COMPLETE CATALOGUING AVAILABLE AT SOTHEBYS.COM/N10748 PROPERTY FROM THE JUNKUNC COLLECTON 97