Page 130 - Bonhams May 12 16 London

105 Y Finely carved with chilong dragons rising above crashing waves, the
A RHINOCEROS HORN ‘CHILONG’ LIBATION CUP cup yields an impressive evocation of the Emperor’s majestic and
17th/18th century benevolent rule. Capable of flying high in the sky and diving back in
Skilfully carved in the form of a lotus leaf finely detailed with y-shaped the sea, dragons were, since the earliest phases of Chinese history,
veins, the exterior decorated in relief with three sinuous chilong with empowered with supernatural, auspicious powers that mirrored those
bifurcated tails, variously writhing, clambering and emerging from a of the ruler, master of all under heaven and centre of the universe.
ground of breaking waves wrapping the foot and extending to A related cup, from the collection of Thomas Fok is illustrated in
the base. Connoisseurship of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, Hong Kong,
12cm (4 7/8in) wide 1999, p.50, pl.3. Another, dated to the 17th century, was sold at
Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 8 April 2011, lot 2709.
£6,000 - 8,000
HK$66,000 - 88,000 CNY55,000 - 73,000

十七/十八世紀 犀角蟠螭戲水紋蓮葉盃

Provenance: a European private collection, acquired between
1960-70, and thence by descent

來源：歐洲私人收藏，蒐於1960至1970年間，並由後人保存迄今

128 | BONHAMS