Page 28 - Six treasures of IMpeerial Art Sothebys Hong Kong April 3 2019

Fig. 2
Silver-inlaid brass tray stand, attributed to Egypt, 14th century Edward C. Moore
Collection, Bequest of Edward C. Moore, 1891 Courtesy of the Metropolitan
Museum, New York, accession no. 91.1.528
圖二
十四世紀 傳埃及黃銅盤座
Edward C. Moore 典藏 ，Edward C. Moore 1891年遺贈，藏品編號91.1.528
圖片鳴謝：紐約大都會藝術博物館

in gold and silver with bands of Arabic writing embedded the exhibition Shi yu xin: Mingdai Yongle huangdi de ciqi/
in thin abstract scrollwork and interspersed with formal Pleasingly Pure and Lustrous: Porcelains from the Yongle
roundels. On the metal versions, the decoration tends to Reign (1403-1424) of the Ming Dynasty, National Palace
completely fill the surface, with no space left blank. On one Museum, Taipei, 2017, pp. 148-9; another from the Edward
example, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (fig. T. Chow, T.Y. Chao and S.C. Ko collections, was published
2), the roundels show similar scrollwork as the porcelain in Chinese Porcelain. The S.C. Ko Tianminlou Collection,
version, but they are aligned on the two bands; on other Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1987, pl. 17, and sold
stands, such as one illustrated in James W. Allan, Islamic twice in these rooms, 25th November 1980, lot 4, and 18th
Metalwork: the Nuhad Es-Said Collection, London, rev.ed. November 1986, lot 41.
1999 (1982), pl. 19, the roundels are filled with inscriptions, Of the supporting designs, particularly the cobalt-rich
but are spaced at a 90 degree angle, as they are on the borders on the upper and lower rims of these stands are
present piece.
noteworthy. They are formed of slender loop motifs with a
While Middle Eastern shapes were reproduced in some fine, toothed border around the inner edge, creating very
number in the Yongle period, Persian or Arabic inscriptions delicate white reserves that evoke openwork. They were
are rare on early Ming imperial porcelain. The inscriptions on clearly challenging to render with a brush and may also
the Mamluk metal stands relate the names or titles of high- have been inspired by Arab design. The slanting mirrored
ranking dignitaries or rulers, probably the stands’ owners, petal-panel border around the centre is also unusual, while
and eulogies on their virtues. On the porcelain versions, the the small floral sprigs under the rim are rare, but appear
inscriptions are no longer legible, but it is exceptional that similarly under the everted rims of basins in the shape of
they are copying texts of a secular nature rather than Islamic Mamluk metal prototypes, such as the examples in the
incantations, as the much more frequent Arabic inscriptions National Palace Museum illustrated in Shi yu xin., op.cit., pp.
on later porcelains, particularly those of the Zhengde (1506- 129-135.
1521) period. Possibly the only other Yongle design with Six other stands of the present design appear to be
Arabic writing are small mantouxin bowls, which do not recorded, all today in museum collections: A stand in
seem to copy metal vessels, and which show illegible bands the Palace Museum, Beijing, from the ancient Qing court
of Arabic around the rim. Two such bowls were included in

26 SOTHEBY ’S SIX TREASURES