Page 106 - Bonhams Olivier Collection Early Chinese Art November 2018

The inscription, cast in the shape of a cicada beneath the handle, is 此器手把下方鑄有一呈蟬狀之符號，或為商代氏族之圖騰，頗為罕
rare and is most likely a clan’s symbol. Privileged families during the 見。商代期間，地方氏族多以動物或昆蟲外形設計其圖騰符號，而將
Shang dynasty usually appropriated the forms of animals or insects 圖騰符號鑄於青銅器之中的習慣則延至西周中葉後方逐漸息微。其
to design their crests. Crests of these type are rarely seen on bronzes 中一例之銘文拓片可見於羅振玉著，《三代吉金文存》，卷16，上
later than the mid-Western Zhou dynasty and few other examples 虞，1936年，頁47。
of bronzes with cicada crests have survived, but a rubbing of an
inscription with this design was illustrated by Luo Zhenyu, Sandai jijin 現今存世仍有若干例子可資比對，當中一例由日本京都泉屋博古館所
wencun,vol.16, Shangyu, 1936, p.47. 藏。此例據傳於安陽出土，為殷墟後期器物，收錄於《中國青銅器全
集》，卷三，北京，頁33。另外一例現藏於紐約大都會博物館，於陝
There are several comparable examples of jiao in important museums 西寶雞鬥雞台出土，博物館編號24.72.13。玫茵堂所藏一例，器身紋
and private collections around the world. Compare with a bronze jiao 飾與本次推出之青銅角頗為相似，收錄於汪濤著，《Chinese Bronzes
cup in Sen-oku Hakuko Kan, Kyoto, Japan, which was reportedly from the Meiyintang Collection（玫茵堂藏中國銅器）》，倫敦，2009
unearthed in Anyang and dated to the late phase of Yinxu, illustrated 年，圖12。
in Zhongguo qingtongqi quanji, vol.3, Beijing, p.33; another one in the
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, reportedly found at Doujitai, 最後一例為一件商末青銅角，為素身器具，但形制相似，曾於2014年
Baoji, Shaanxi Province, (acc.no.24.72.13); and a third one with very 3月18日紐約蘇富比拍賣，拍品103號。
similar thread-relief decoration, is illustrated by Wang Tao, Chinese
Bronzes from the Meiyintang Collection, London, 2009, no.12.

Compare with a related jiao cup of similar form, but with plain motif,
late Shang dynasty, which was sold at Sotheby’s New York, 18 March
2014, lot 103.

Image after Jiao cup in Sen-oku Hakuko
Kan, Kyoto, Japan

104 | BONHAMS