Page 122 - Bonhams Hong K June 2016
P. 122
The Property of a Gentleman 紳士藏品
Lots 30 - 32
30Y
A CARVED 'CHI DRAGON AND CLOUDS' RHINOCEROS HORN
LIBATION CUP
17th century
Well hollowed and well preserved in its original horn shape, intricately
carved on the exterior with four spirited chi dragons sporting amid
billowing clouds at the rim and lingzhi issuing from the tip, each grasping
a sprig of lingzhi in its mouth.
22cm (8 5/8in) high
HK$400,000 - 600,000
US$52,000 - 77,000
十七世紀 犀角雕螭龍卷雲靈芝杯
Provenance 來源:
Li Chun-hung Collection, no.CHL24
李震熊先生舊藏，編號CHL24
Published and Illustrated 出版:
T.Fok, Connoisseurship of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, Hong
Kong, 1999, p.76, no.29
霍滿堂，《中國犀角雕刻珍賞》，香港，1999年，頁76，圖29
It is rare to find carved rhinoceros horn of such superior quality which
is extensively worked and preserved in its original form. Such a simple
and succinct carving style was inspired by examples from the early Ming
dynasty. Compare a related rhinoceros horn cup carving with a design
of grapes and fruits, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures
of the Palace Museum: Bamboo, Wood, Ivory and Rhinoceros Horn
Carvings, Hong Kong, 2002, p.144 no.130. See also a rhinoceros horn
libation cup, 17th century, carved with chi-dragon and floral blossoms,
from the Shanghai Museum, illustrated by T.Fok, Connoisseurship of
Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, Hong Kong, 1999, no.87.
The lingzhi fungus is associated with the wish for longevity and the
clouds can be interpreted as a pun on the word 'cloud', yun (雲),
which is a homophone for fuyun (福運), 'good fortune'.
杯依亞洲犀角自然形狀雕成，撇口，尖足，上寬下尖。杯口沿下浮雕祥
雲紋一周，通體浮雕四條螭龍，螭龍口啣靈芝，穿梭於祥雲中。犀角色
澤光潤細膩，杯造型優美，雕刻栩栩如生。
犀角自古以來珍貴。根據文獻記載，唐代宮廷已經開始使用犀角作為裝
飾，如《新唐書·車服志》記載：唐高祖（618 – 626）定制，三品至六
品官員的腰帶帶銙要嵌犀角，唐文宗（826 – 840）幾位後又規定
「諸親朝賀宴會之服：一品、二品服玉及通犀，三品服花犀、斑犀。」
而天子、皇太子的冕冠亦是用「犀簪」固定。唐代以後，犀角仍然被視
為珍稀之一，但是人們越來越不知犀牛形貌。傳世品中所見犀角杯，多
為明清之物，乾隆一朝宮廷造辦處亦有負責雕刻犀角。
參看北京故宮博物院藏一件明晚期雕葡萄花果紋犀角杯，雖紋飾不同，
但形制與此杯類似，見《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集：竹木牙角雕刻》
，香港，2002年，頁144，圖130。另參考上海博物館藏一件十七世紀
花卉蟠龍大杯，見霍滿棠著，《中國犀角雕刻珍賞》，香港，1999年，
編號87。
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