Page 52 - 2020 September Fine Chinese Paintings and Works of Art, Bonham NYC

This striking bowl is thought to be part of a group of fifteen parcel There are slight differences in the decoration on the group of Balin
gilt platters and bowls, some of which had covers, that appeared in bowls and covers; but one small motif in common is the engraved
1930 at antique dealers’ shops in China. By repute, the silver came decoration on the rim and foot ring: originally described as a
from three tombs uncovered at Balin, Eastern Mongolia. One such ‘peacock-feather garland’ by Gyllensvard and Singer, but seen as a
bowl and cover, obtained by Dr. Carl Kempe, was published by Bo band of ‘overlapping lotus petals’ when the Kempe bowl and cover
Gyllensvard and later (see Chinese Gold, Silver and Porcelain: The were catalogued in lot 64 for the Sotheby’s London sale on 14 May
Kempe Collection, New York, the Asia Society, 1971, no. 56, pp. 80- 2008. The delicately engraved band along the rim on the bowl in
81 and illustrated on p.54). The Kempe bowl and cover were sold in this lot appears more clearly to resemble as band of overlapping
Sotheby’s London Sale, 14 May 2008, lot 64, along with other silver flower petals, similar to the band encircling the interior rim on a
from the Kempe Collection. parcel gilt silver leys jar, also from the Carl Kempe Collection, sold in
Sotheby’s London Sale on 14 May 2008, lot 73. However, a stronger
In the 1971 Kempe collection catalog entry listed above, Dr. thread that unites the lobed bowl in this lot and the gilt silver leys
Gyllensvard noted that the Swedish collector Orvar Karlbeck jar with the other gilt silver objects discussed is their realistic floral
obtained silver bowls from the Balin group of tombs that were and vegetal decoration, sensitively outlined and highlighted in gilt
similar to the Kempe bowl and cover. Dr. Gyllensvard also against the smooth silver-gray surfaces.
mentioned a related bowl and cover in the M. Mansson Collection,
The sets of parcel gilt silver bowls and covers in the Seattle Art
Stockholm. The Mansson bowl and cover were reputedly obtained
Museum, the former Kempe Collection parcel gilt silver bowl and
directly from Mr. Karlbeck, between 1928 and 1930, when the set
cover (lot 64) and the leys jar (lot 73) in the Sotheby’s London sale
was sold in Christie’s London Sale, 10 May 2011, lot 187. Other
of 14 May 2018 have been ascribed to the eighth/ninth century.
items thought to come from the same Balin tombs include a pair
A parcel-gilt silver rice bowl and cover of similar shape, engraved
of bowls and covers in the Seattle Art Museum and a pair of bowls
with peony sprays, was part of the famous hoard of metalwork
and covers in the University of Pennsylvania collection, see Dr. Paul
excavated in 1970 at Hejiacun, Xi’an, at the site of the mansion
Singer, Early Chinese Gold & Silver, New York, China Institute in
that belonged to Li Xiu-li, prince of Bin and cousin to the emperor
America, 1971, no. 85, p.61) and
Xuanzong, who died in 741. It is thought that the treasure might
http://art.seattleartmuseum.org/objects/23359/covered-bowl-in-
have been buried when the emperor and the court had to leave
the-shape-of-fivepetaled-flower-with-flora?ctx=b1fe739f-bf8f-
Chang’an at the outbreak of An Lu-shan’s rebellion in 756 (see The
46b2-b9ec59448bc1d4a9&idx=5 http://art.seattleartmuseum.
Genius of China exhibition, London, Times Newspapers, 1973, p.
org/objects/23362/covered-bowl-in-the-shape-of-a-fivepetaled-
137 and no. 310, p.146).
flower?ctx=b1fe739f-bf8f-46b2-b9ec-59448bc1d4a9&idx=30
https://www.penn.museum/collections/object_images.
php?irn=54095#image2 https://www.penn.museum/collections/
object_images.php?irn=269159.
50 | BONHAMS