Page 144 - Nov 28 Chinese Art Hong Kong

50 Y
AN ARCHAISTIC RHINOCEROS HORN RHYTON CUP
17th/18th century
The elegantly proportioned vessel in the form of a ewer, supported
on a spreading foot, the deep sides flaring towards the everted rim
encircled by a single band of confronted mythical beasts, deftly carved
in high relief with three sinuous chilong clambering up the handle and
the rim, the material of rich dark amber tone.
13cm (5in) high
HK$200,000 - 300,000
US$26,000 - 38,000

十七/十八世紀 犀角雕仿古饕餮紋螭龍耳杯

Provenance:
An important European private collection, and thence by descent

Published and Illustrated:
J.Chapman, The Art of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, London,
1999, pp.150-151, pl.181

來源：
重要歐洲私人收藏，後由家族繼承

出版及著錄：
J.Chapman，《中國犀角雕刻藝術》，倫敦，1999年，頁150-151，
圖181

The present libation cup is inspired in form by archaic bronze ritual 杯以犀角雕成。器口微敞，口部一側翻捲成流，腹部微鼓，頸較細，
wine vessels, zhi, but differs in having a spout and handle. It is very 頸部淺浮雕仿古龍紋，橢圓形高圈足。器身一側鏤雕杯耳，幾隻螭龍
rare to find a rhinoceros horn libation cup of similar form; compare 盤繞杯耳至口沿，犀角質地瑩潤，線條優美，整體造型和紋飾皆具仿
however a similarly shaped pale green jade cup, carved with a high- 古意境。此外，此犀角本身的色澤和波浪紋肌理十分精良且珍罕，
relief chilong handle and a single band of archaistic motif, 17th/18th 為犀角雕刻家所追捧的質料，因此簡潔的設計更突出了犀角的自然美
century, formerly in the collection of Somerset de Chair, which 態，恰到好處地烘托了本器的古樸秀雅。此杯器型源自商周用來盛酒
was sold in these Rooms, 27 November 2014, lot 11. The archaic 的青銅觶，經改良後口沿一側雕刻成流，並且在器身飾杯柄。同類器
influence is further reinforced by the low-relief border carved with 型的犀角杯極其罕見，類似於本器器型可參考一件十七/十八世紀青白
stylised confronted dragons; for related decoration of such archaistic 玉勾雲紋螭龍耳觥，為英國Somerset de Chair先生舊藏，後售於香港
dragons see a rhinoceros horn ewer and cover, by Bao Tiancheng, 邦瀚斯，2014年11月27日，拍品編號11。頸部的淺浮雕龍紋進一步強
late Ming dynasty, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures 調了此杯的仿古意境，同樣飾有類似龍紋之犀角雕，可參考北京故宮
of the Palace Museum: Bamboo, Wood, Ivory and Rhinoceros Horn 博物院藏一件明晚期由鮑天成雕製的犀角雕雙螭紋執壺，見《故宮博
Carvings, Hong Kong, 2002, no.117. The superb quality of the horn 物院藏文物珍品全集：竹木牙角雕刻》，香港，2002年，編號117。
and unusual natural ‘wave’ patterns were prized by the master carver
who chose to display them by restricting the carving to the general 另有一件十七/十八世紀犀角仿古饕餮紋螭龍柄觚可資比較，形制比本
archaistic form, the narrow low-relief border and high-relief handle. 器小，售於倫敦邦瀚斯，2017年5月11日，拍品編號302。

A related but much smaller archaistic rhinoceros horn libation cup,
gu, 17th/18th century (7.4cm high), was sold in our London Rooms,
11 May 2017, lot 302.

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