Page 172 - Chinese Art, Hong Kong Sotheby's .pdf

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PROPERTY FROM AN OLD HONG KONG FAMILY COLLECTION
PROPERTY FROM AN ASIAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
A RHINOCEROS HORN ‘MAGNOLIA’ AN INSCRIBED ARCHAISTIC BRONZE
LIBATION CUP ‘TIGER’ TALLY
QING DYNASTY, KANGXI PERIOD MING DYNASTY OR EARLIER
modelled as a large magnolia blossom, the exterior decorated each of the matching halves cast in the form of a crouching
with budding blooms and leaves borne on a cluster of curling tiger, the face detailed with slender eyes and curling ears,
stems forming the handle and foot, the patina of a variegated the spine with an inscription yu Luoyang Taishou wei hufu
honey-brown colour, all supported on a wood stand carved in (‘tiger tally of Luoyang governor’), the left side inscribed with
openwork as flowering stems Luoyang zuo yi (‘Luoyang, left, number one’), the boxwood
15 cm, 5⅞ in. stand inscribed with two characters reading chen li
7.5 cm, 3 in.
PROVENANCE
HK$ 40,000-60,000
Christie’s New York, 4th June 1992, lot 118. US$ 5,200-7,700
◉ HK$ 150,000-200,000 或明 銅鑄虎符
US$ 19,200-25,600
「與洛陽太守為虎符」、「洛陽左一」字
清康熙 犀角雕玉蘭花式盃 黃楊木座：「陳禮」字
Tiger tallies, originated from the late Warring States period,
來源： were important tokens for the rulers to confer military
紐約佳士得1992年6月4日，編號118 power upon their regional ministers. The two halves of the
tallies were normally held separately by the emperor and the
marshals. A valid military command issued by the court had
to be accompanied by the emperor’s half of the tally. The
reunion of the two halves allows the local marshal to ensure
the legitimacy of the command and mobilise the armies in
the name of the emperor. The inscription on the present tally

Detail
170 SOTHEBY’S 蘇富比