Page 188 - important chinese art mar 22 2018

636

A MASSIVE GILT-BRONZE cover, o* ered at Christie’s New York, 25th-26th ૶ɤɞ˰ߏ ზ⺗ږ˜˄̻Ϟ൥™ɽ✝ᘟ
‘ELEPHANT’ TRIPOD CENSER AND March 2010, lot 1322. Although the origin of the ˂ശखڠ‘ಛ
COVER mark remains unknown, the four characters Ը๕
tianhua haoyu appear to have been used
QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY interchangeably as the phrase tianhua fayu, which Robert Strauss Esq ϗᔛ
is an auspicious quote in Buddhism. ࡐ౱ᘽబˢ1982ϋ10˜29˚dᇜ໮146
heavily cast with the bombé body supported
on three elephant-head legs each with curled The present censer is also notable for its ࠰ಥᘽబˢ1983ϋ5˜12˚dᇜ໮266
tusks and bejeweled harnesses, the deep sides impressive size and elaborate decorations, which
in high relief with stylized lotus blossoms borne testify to the high level of craftsmanship achieved
on undulating leafy foliate scrolls, ! anked by by artisans during the height of the Qing dynasty.
a pair of elephant-head handles with upturned For other censers of this type but of smaller size,
trunks, the domed cover similarly decorated with see one with an inscription dating to the 35th year
lotus blossoms and undulating leafy stems in of Qianlong (1770), sold three times at Sotheby’s,
openwork, surmounted by a recumbent elephant twice in these rooms, 7th-8th April 1988, lot 308,
in elaborate embellishment, carrying on its back and 28th-29th September 1989, lot 245, and the
a basin with auspicious emblems and treasures, third time in our Hong Kong rooms, 5th October
the base cast with a four-character mark reading 2011, lot 2097; and another, partially gilt and with
tianhua haoyu (blessed by the rain from heaven) stone inlay, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 30th
(2) May 2012, lot 4128. See also an ungilt censer,
Height 28⅜ in., 72 cm dated 17th / 18th century, sold in our London
rooms, 10th November 2015, lot 271; and another
PROVENANCE
sold at Christie’s New York, 15th September 2011,
Collection of Robert Strauss, Esq. lot 2463.
Sotheby’s London, 29th October 1982, lot 146.
Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 12th May 1983, lot 266. $ 30,000-50,000
The four-character mark cast to the base of the
present censer is rare, and only a small group of
examples bearing the same mark appears to be
recorded, including a similar ungilt censer and

186 SOTHEBY’S