Page 83 - Bonhams Chinese Paintings June 2015

7126
A carved agate rectangular plaque
Qing dynasty, probably 18th century
The smoky amber toned stone displaying several defined areas of
dark brown coloring, masterfully utilized to pick out the highlights in
a scene of an ox-herd and his charge beneath a gnarled pine tree
growing from the side of an rocky overhang, all under a blazing sun,
against an background of contorted rocks.
2 1/4in (5.8cm) long
$6,000 - 8,000

Provenance
the Green Willow Hall Collection of Jade Carvings,
Bonhams, Hong Kong, sale 15502, 26 May 2007, lot 338

The character niu is a generic term for all members of the bovine 7126
family. The design on this plaque brings to mind the series of
ox-herding pictures believed to have been created by Song dynasty
Chan Buddhist master Guoan Shiyuan. According to James C.Y.
Watt in Chinese Jades from the Han to the Ch’ing, New York, 1980,
p.65, the subject matter of the boy and a buffalo made its first
conspicuous appearance during the Southern Song. To this day, the
first page of the Chinese almanac continues shows an ox-herd and
his ox. The dress of the ox-herd indicates the type of weather the new
year will bring. The ox’s simple pure nature has caused it to become
associated with Daoist and Chan philosophy, and it serves as the
mount for Laozi. In addition, due to its importance to agriculture, the
ox has come to symbolize strength, tranquility and rural life.

7127
A parcel gilt and enameled archer’s ring
Qianlong period
The exterior finely executed in an openwork archaic bronze style
band of split-tailed zoomorphs, each body composed of interlocking
geometric spirals enclosed by narrow bands of kui-dragons on a
green enameled border.
1 1/4in (3.2cm) high
$4,000 - 6,000

Property from the collection of Frank and
Georgia James

7128 7127
A group of five decorated metal boxes
18th to 19th centuries
Consisting of three silver enameled boxes: a floral shaped box, figural
six-sided box, and a white jade mounted oval-shaped box; the fourth,
an elegant white ground polychrome enamel box with fruit and floral
decoration; the fifth, a fan-shaped box with cold-worked and applied
decoration of a tiger romping in a lush garden.
3 1/2in (8.8cm) length of largest
$2,000 - 3,000

7128

Fine Chinese Works of Art and Paintings | 81