Page 42 - Bonhams Olivier Collection Early Chinese Art November 2018

6
A FINE AND RARE PAIR OF GOLD ‘LIONS AND FLOWERS’
BOXES AND COVERS
Liao Dynasty
Each of eight-lobed form, the covers decorated in repoussé with
a square cartouche enclosing two lions leaping amidst floral scrolls
surrounded by flower sprigs, the sides of the boxes and covers
bordered with a continuous band of scrolling foliage.
Each 5.8cm (2 1/4in) wide (4).

£40,000 - 60,000
CNY360,000 - 540,000

遼 金錘揲雙獅花草紋蓋盒一對

Provenance:
P.C.Lu Works of Art Ltd., Hong Kong, 12 May 1988
Jean-Yves Ollivier Collection

來源： Image after Qidan Elites: Treasures of the
香港古董商魯氏有限公司，1988年5月12日 Liao Dynasty from Inner Mongolia, Beijing,
歐宗易先生珍藏 2002, p.209

The delicacy of the shape and repoussé design characterising the 金質，菱花倭角，蓋微隆，其上以捶揲鏨刻二法飾雙獅相逐，雙獅身
present pair of boxes suggests that they may have been a product 形矯健，動態逼真，圍以各式花草紋，繁而不亂，盒身光素無紋，整
reserved for the highest ranking members of the Liao society, namely 體盈巧可愛。
the Qidan elites. A related gilt-silver box, bearing the same shape and
combination of playful lions and floral designs, was excavated from the 此類形制和裝飾或許受到唐代工藝的影響。1987年陝西法門寺地宮出
tomb of Yelu Yuzhi, cousin of the Liao dynasty founder, Abaoji, in the 土一件唐懿宗（859年-873年在位）生日供奉的銀鎏金花口倭角盒，
Ar Horqin Banner, Inner Mongolia, illustrated in the National Museum of 亦裝飾雙獅花草紋。文獻記載五代十國時期中原王朝曾進貢契丹王朝
Chinese History, Qidan Elites: Treasures of the Liao Dynasty from Inner 大量絲綢和奢侈製品，十世紀遼人劫掠後晉開封府亦帶走大量中原能
Mongolia, Beijing, 2002, pp.208-209. 工巧匠。或可解釋此件拍品明顯的漢地風格。

In shape and design, the present boxes appear to have been inspired 此件拍品做工精細，形體秀雅，或為遼代契丹貴族所有。內蒙古阿魯
by the superb craftmanship of the Tang dynasty. A lobed gilt-silver box 科爾沁旗遼代開國皇帝耶律阿保機族兄耶律羽之墓出土一件鏨花雙
decorated with lions and foliage, originally conceived as a birthday gift 獅紋鎏金銀盒，亦飾十分相似的雙獅相逐穿花紋，可作比較，見中國
for Tang Emperor Yizong (r.859-873), was discovered in 1987 in the 歷史博物館（現國家博物館）編，《契丹王朝—內蒙古遼代文物精華
pagoda of the Famen Monastery in Shanxi Province. Literary evidence 展》，北京，2002年，頁208-209。
records the large quantities of silk and luxury items sent as tributes to
the Liao Court by the Chinese kingdoms and the abduction of many
Chinese artisans following the Liao sacking of Kaifeng, capital of the
Later Jin dynasty, in Henan Province, during the 10th century.

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
40 | BONHAMS please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue.