Page 46 - Bonhams Olivier Collection Early Chinese Art November 2018

7
AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE PAIR OF PARCEL-GILT SILVER
‘CARP’ BOWLS
Liao Dynasty
Each with waisted sides rising from short flared foot rings to gently
everted rims, the interiors chased with a writhing carp with finely
incised scales and fins highlighted in gilt, all below a narrow gilt band
of overlapping petals at the rim, the exteriors encircled by two bands
of chased and gilt-flower-heads and leaves.
Each 13.3cm (5 1/4in) diam.; 283g. weight. (2).
£120,000 - 150,000
CNY1,100,000 - 1,300,000

遼 局部鎏金銀鯉魚紋盌 一對

Provenance:
C.T. Loo, Paris
A. & J. Speelman Oriental Art Ltd., London, 1990
Jean-Yves Ollivier Collection

來源：
巴黎古董商盧芹齋先生舊藏
倫敦古董商史博曼藝術藏品館，1990年
歐宗易先生珍藏

Large quantities of gold and silver utensils were produced during 銀質，圓口外翻，鼓腹，正中凸起如棱，下腹斜收於外撇之圈足。口
the Liao dynasty to satisfy the requirements of the foreign Qidan 沿內側鏨刻如意雲頭紋一周，盌內正中鏨刻一尾鯉魚，鯉魚身形肥
ruling elites. These objects included imperial diplomatic gifts, courtly 碩，翻尾翹首，頭頂菱形花紋，鰭鱗鏨刻精細不苟，盌外壁鏨刻兩層
tableware, mourning gifts exchanged among the nobility or ornaments 雙葉花卉紋，圈足外壁亦鏨刻簡寫花草紋，全器凡鏨刻部分皆鎏金。
manufactured for formal elite clothing, horse gear and carriages.
遼代大量製作金銀器以供貴族使用。這些器具包括帝國間的外事禮
The vast array of shapes and decorative motifs decorating these 物、貴族間交換的祭儀、餐具、隨身飾品和車馬裝飾。從其形制和裝
objects demonstrate the exceptionally high lever of precious metal 飾上看，遼代工匠似乎很好掌握了唐朝和宋朝的工藝。根據現存的文
craftsmanship, which continued from the previous traditions of the 獻，後唐、後晉和宋朝每年都向遼廷進貢大量絲、玉、土物和奢侈
Tang and Song dynasties. 品，除了歲供，每逢生辰、節慶、紅白喜事則另有進獻。
According to surviving literary evidence, every year, several bolts of 本拍品的器型和紋飾的原型可以追溯到唐代，可參考一件夢蝶軒所藏
silk, jades, Chinese delicacies and luxury items were sent to the Liao 唐代銀碗，器型和本拍品一樣，見M.Crick 和H.Loveday著，《 L’Or
emperors from the Chinese courts of the Later Tang, Jin and Song, in Des Steppes. Arts Somptuaires De La Dinastie Liao (907-1125)（草
the form of annual tributes or on the occasion of seasonal festivities 原金器：遼代藝術）》，日內瓦，2007年，圖版III.8，頁38。西安
including birthday celebrations or funerary ceremonies. See F.Louis, 郊區曾出土一件唐代局部鎏金銀盌亦資參考，見C.Michaelson著，
‘Shaping Symbols of Privilege: Precious Metals and the Early Liao 《Gilded Dragons（鎏金龍）》，倫敦，1999年，頁107，圖67。因
Aristocracy’, in Journal of Song-Yuan Studies, 2003, no.33, pp.71-109. 「鯉」、「李」諧音，鯉魚紋故為唐代皇家紋章，臣公進宮時亦須在
門房畫魚形花押，見E.Schafer薛愛華著，《The Golden Peaches of
The shape and design of the present bowls appear to be based on a Samarkand: A Study of Tang Exotics（撒馬爾罕的金桃：唐代舶來品
Tang prototype. See, for instance, a silver bowl, Tang dynasty, from 研究）》，伯克利，1963年。
the Mengdiexuan Collection, bearing the same shape as the present
bowls, illustrated by M.Crick and H.Loveday, L’Or Des Steppes. Arts 參考盧芹齋所藏另一件鯉魚紋局部鎏金銀盌，見H.Scott著，《The
Somptuaires De La Dinastie Liao (907-1125) Geneva, 2007, pl.III.8,
p.38. See also a parcel-gilt silver bowl, Tang dynasty, decorated with Golden Age of Chinese Art（中國黃金時代藝術）》，東京，1982
two carp fish, excavated from an aristocratic tomb in the suburbs of 年，圖版4。
Xian, in Shaanxi Province, illustrated by C.Michaelson, Gilded Dragons,
London, 1999, p.107, fig.67.

The carp, li, was highly regarded in China for its magical powers of
transforming into a dragon after leaping over the Dragon Gate in the
upper course of the Yellow River. Being also homophone with the
word for benefit and profit, carps were also conceived as emblems
of patience and good fortune by the candidates aspiring to pass the
imperial examinations. When the wife of Confucius gave birth to a boy,
the King of Lu is believed to have sent a carp to congratulate him. The
carp was also an imperial emblem during the Tang dynasty, as the
surname of the Royal family was Li and whenever the officials entered
the palace, they often wore a fish tally as an official credential. For
reference, see E.Schafer, The Golden Peaches of Samarkand: A Study
of Tang Exotics, Berkeley, 1963, pp.139-154.

Compare with a pair of similar gilt-silver bowls, Liao dynasty, also
formerly with C.T.Loo, decorated with a carp design, illustrated by Image after The Golden Age of Chinese Art, Tokyo,
H.Scott, The Golden Age of Chinese Art, Tokyo, 1967, pl.4. 1967, pl.4.

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