Page 30 - Bonhams May 12 16 London

13
A RARE SILVER-INLAID BRONZE ‘CHAMPION’ VASE
Song/Ming Dynasty
The two tubular pedestal vases flanking an eagle standing with
extended wings outstretched across both vases, standing on the head
of a bear with outstretched limbs, its hindquarters and bifurcated tail
protruding at the bottom on the reverse below a handle in the form of
a chilong joining the vases, all inlaid in silver with archaistic scrolls and
interlocking chilong.
9.3cm (3 6/8in) high

£20,000 - 30,000 CNY180,000 - 280,000
HK$220,000 - 330,000

Fig. 1 宋/明 銅錯銀仿古夔龍紋雙聯英雄瓶
Image after Xiqing Gujian
Fig. 2 Provenance: Rolf, Lord Cunliffe (1899-1963), Honorary Keeper of the
Far Eastern Collections at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge
Acquired from Theodore Culty by Bluett & Sons Ltd., London,
28 November 1960
Acquired from Bluett & Sons Ltd., London, 30 November 1960
The Cunliffe Collection, no.B11, and thence by descent

Exhibited, Published and Illustrated:
Bluett & Sons Ltd., London, Early Chinese Art, 27 September -
19 October 1973, no.21 (see fig.1)

來源： 劍橋菲茨威廉博物館東方藝術部名譽主任，Rolf Cunliffe勳爵
(1899-1963)
於1960年11月30日購自倫敦古董商Bluett & Sons Ltd.
Cunliffe收藏，藏品編號B11，並由後人保存迄今

展覽、出版及收錄：
1973年9月27至10月19日期間於倫敦古董商Bluett & Sons Ltd.「中國
早期藝術(Early Chinese Art)」特展展出，展品編號21

Inspired by archaic bronze vessels produced during the Western
Han period, this vase encapsulates a highly auspicious symbolism
conveyed by the combination of eagle, ying and bear, xiong, which
form the rebus for ‘champion and hero’. The inlaid decoration, clearly
derived from the archaic bronzes of the Warring States period, creates
a demonstrable link to the revered Chinese past.

A related ‘champion’ vase, dated to the Song dynasty, is illustrated
by P.Moss and G.Hawthorn, The Second Bronze Age. Later Chinese
Metalwork, London, 1991, no.35. Another example, bequeathed to
the Victoria and Albert Museum as part of the Salting Bequest, is
illustrated by R.Kerr, Later Chinese Bronzes London, 1990, no.57
(see fig.2).

See also a related larger bronze ‘champion’ vase sold at Sotheby’s
Hong Kong, 8 October 2014, lot 3328.

PROPERTY FROM THE CUNLIFFE COLLECTION
OF CHINESE ART CUNLIFFE珍藏中國藝術品

28 | BONHAMS