Page 202 - Bonhams Chinese Art NYC Nov 9 2017

137
A CARVED CINNABAR LACQUER
‘DRAGON’ BOX AND COVER
Qianlong
Of circular form, carved to the cover with
three wrathful five-clawed dragons detailed
with fang teeth, bulging eyes and horns,
emerging from an intricate ground of crashing
and foaming waves in mutual pursuit of the
flaming pearl to the centre, all bordered by an
interlocking key-fret band, the side decorated
with a dense hexagonal diaper ground.
17.9cm (7in) diam. (2).
£15,000 - 20,000
CNY130,000 - 180,000
清乾隆 剔紅雲龍戲珠圓蓋盒

A very similar carved cinnabar lacquer
‘dragon’ box and cover, Qianlong mark
and period, was presented by the Qianlong
emperor to George III following Lord
Macartney’s Embassy of 1792-1794, and is
illustrated by J.Ayers, Chinese and Japanese
Works of Art in the Collection of Her Majesty
the Queen, Volume III, London, 2016, p.852,
no.1959.

Compare with a similar carved cinnabar
137 lacquer ‘dragon’ box and cover, Qianlong
mark and of the period, which was sold in our
Hong Kong Rooms, 3 December 2015, lot 32.

138
A VERY FINE ARCHAISTIC CLOISONNÉ The cloisonné fang gu is exceptional for The form and design of the present lot are
ENAMEL AND GILT-BRONZE VASE, its refined and rare predominant design of a direct result of the Qianlong emperor’s
FANG GU double phoenix on each side, above triple wishes for craftsmen to take inspiration from
Qianlong bands of taotie masks and plantain leaves. antiquity, in order to ‘restore the ancient
Of square section, the central part enamelled For another example with a primary phoenix ways’, reinstating the intrinsic qualities of
on each side with an archaistic taotie mask motif see a cloisonné enamel incense burner, simplicity, sincerity and happy exuberance
separated by flanges down the centre and at ding, Qianlong mark and of the period, of the ancient cultures. For this purpose
the edges, the upper flaring section similarly illustrated in Compendium of Collections the emperor instructed the Court to
enamelled with pairs of archaistic phoenix in the Palace Museum: Enamels 2, Beijing, collect drawings of antiquities, such as the
with pink heads and stylised green scrolling 2011, pl.201. Compare also a related but ‘Catalogue of Xiqing Antiquities’ (Xi Qing Gu
tails, also separated by flanges, the flaring less refined and smaller cloisonné enamel Jian 西清古鑑), which served as sources
base with pendent plantain leaves. fang gu, with phoenixes on the neck and of designs for the production of vessels.
33cm (13in) high. foot and taotie masks around the centre, Compare three related archaistic cloisonné
17th/18th century, illustrated by Sir H.Garner, enamel and gilt-bronze vases, fang gu,
£40,000 - 60,000 Chinese and Japanese Cloisonné Enamels, Qianlong mark and of the period, illustrated in
CNY360,000 - 530,000 London,1962, pl.52. ibid., pls.143, 146-147.

A related cloisonné enamel and gilt-bronze
清乾隆 銅胎掐絲琺瑯仿古饕餮紋出戟方觚 vase, gu, Qianlong mark and of the period, was
sold at Christie’s Paris, 7 June 2011, lot 208.

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
200 | BONHAMS please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue.