Page 47 - Sotheby's Chinese Ceramics Nov 30 2017 Hong Kong

Pen boxes of this elongated form were an essential part of the 長方筆盒，形仿十三世紀以降伊斯蘭文具。傳統伊斯蘭書
Islamic calligrapher’s accoutrement from the 13th century. 法家所用筆盒，以金屬製，或鏨或嵌，巧飾華麗，盒內分
Originally produced in metal, porcelain pen boxes began to 成三匣，可貯墨、剪刀、蘆葦或羽毛筆、修筆用之小刀。
be made at the imperial kilns in Jingdezhen during the Yongle
早於永樂年間，中國便以瓷仿製此類筆盒，明朝至清初延
reign and continued to be popular through the Ming and
early Qing periods. Originally modelled with three openings 燒，內匣漸變小巧，以配合中國書家，飾紋更添祥瑞，如
to separately store the ink, a pair of scissors, plumes and a 此盒上繪交鎖如意雲頭紋。
knife for shaping the plumes, this shape gradually changed to
suit the requirements of Chinese calligraphers as seen in the 如此青花如意紋筆盒，甚罕，未見他例著錄。參考乾隆署
reduced size of the compartments. Furthermore, decoration 款粉彩花卉紋筆盒，錄於周麗麗，《清代雍正至宣統官窰
on pen boxes began to include motifs that conveyed 瓷器》，上海，2014年，圖版3-52，同載一青釉例，圖
auspicious messages, as seen on this piece which is painted on
版3-15。
the cover with interlocking rings and ruyi heads.
Blue and white pen boxes painted with this design are rare 明初瓷例，則可參考大維德爵士舊藏青花花卉紋筆盒，
and no other closely related example appears to have been 現貯倫敦大英博物館，收錄於畢宗陶，《Blue and White
published. Compare a Qianlong mark and period pen box for China: Porcelain Treasures in the Percival David
decorated with a flower scroll on a ruby and yellow ground,
illustrated in Zhou Lili, Qingdai Yongzheng – Xuantong Guanyao Collection》，倫敦，2004年，圖版22。另有一青花串
Ciqi [Qing Dynasty Official Wares from the Yongzheng to the 枝花紋例，嵌綴紅寶石等飾，定為洪武年製，存伊斯坦
Xuantong Reigns], Shanghai, 2014, pl. 3-52, together with a 堡托普卡比宮殿博物館，圖見 John Carswell，《Blue
plain celadon-glazed example, pl. 3-15.
and White: Chinese Porcelain Around the World》，倫
For the prototype of this form, see a blue and white box 敦，2000年，圖版149a。
painted with a flower scroll and attributed to the early Ming
dynasty, from the Sir Percival David Collection and now in the
British Museum, London, illustrated in Stacey Pierson, Blue
and White for China: Porcelain Treasures in the Percival David
Collection, London, 2004, pl. 22; and one inset with rubies and
jewels, attributed to the Hongzhi period, in the Topkapi Saray
Museum, Istanbul, illustrated in John Carswell, Blue and White:
Chinese Porcelain Around the World, London, 2000, pl. 149a.

CHINESE ART INCLUDING SELECTED WORKS OF ART FROM THE T.Y. CHAO FAMILY COLLECTION 45