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A FINE SILVER CIRCULAR BOX AND COVER Published
Tang dynasty, 7th-8th centuries Mayuyama, Seventy Years, volume II (Tokyo, Mayuyama & Co., Ltd.,
The domed cover centered with an elaborate eight-petal flower 1976), p. 46, no.80
medallion within a palmette leaf scroll band and the upright sides
encircled by a continuous leaf scroll band; the box raised on an Although of small size, this parcel gilt silver box and cover illustrates
upright foot ring that separates another palmette leaf scroll band on the consummate craftsmanship that Tang silversmiths could lavish on
the curving walls from the eight petal flower head across the recessed all surfaces of even the smallest item meant for the luxury-loving the
base, the subtle raised relief decoration throughout highlighted in gilt rich and powerful. A similar floral roundel on a ring-punched ground
against a minute ring-punched ground. appears within the foot ring of a miniature silver cup (diameter 5.6cm [2
1 7/8in (4.8cm) diameter 1/4in]), formerly in the C. T. Loo Collection, Paris (see Michel Beurdeley,
The Chinese Collector through the Centuries [Rutland, Vt., C. E. Tuttle
$30,000 - 50,000 Co., 1966], p.225, Cat.34).
唐 刻花卉紋銀圓盒 See also the parcel gilt silver box and cover of larger size (diameter
4in [10cm]) sold in Christie’s New York Sale, 19-20 September 2013,
Provenance lot 1467: the continuous leaf scroll bands surrounding the upright
Mayuyama & Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, bought between 1960-1969 walls of the Christie’s sale box and cover are quite similar to those on
Sotheby’s New York sale, 19-20 March 2013, lot 10 smaller box and cover in this lot. The delicate and lace-like design of
Galerie Christian Deydier, Paris, France 2013 budding leaf scrolls extending outward from a central flower medallion
Private Collection since 2013 on the Christie’s sale box can, in turn, be related to a silver box (5
1/4in [13.5cm] from the mid-eighth century Hejiacun hoard: see The
來源 Genius of China exhibition [London, Times Newspapers, 1973], p. 137
1960-1969年代購於東京繭山龍泉堂 and no. 307, p.146). The Hejiacun silver box also has a lacy central
紐約蘇富比,2012年3月19-20日,拍品編號 10 medallion of similar but more elaborate form, surrounded by smaller
Galerie Christian Deydier, 巴黎 2013 flower and bird roundels. However the minute ring-punched ground of
the Hejiacun box and other silver from the famous hoard also appears
on the larger parcel gilt silver box and cover Christie’s New York sale
and on the smaller parcel gilt silver box of this lot.
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