Page 118 - Bonhams Fine Chinese Art Nov 2013 London

The inscription reads
石腋噴香雪
蜂情逗早春
Which may be translated as
Beneath the rock flew with fragrant snow,
while the bees start hovering in early Spring.
The present cup is superbly carved successfully
rendering its naturalistic nature depicting a gnarled
trunk with prunus branches issuing blossoms.
Compare a related ‘prunus’ libation cup,
17th century, with a gnarled trunk illustrated
in T.Fok, Connoisseurship of Rhinoceros Horn
Carving in China, Hong Kong, 1999, pl.112
and also see similar carving of the trunk in
cups illustrated ibid. pls.94 and 108; see also
J.Chapman, The Art of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in
China, London, 1999, pl.315.

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