Page 51 - Elegantly Made, Art For The Literati, 2020, J.J. Lally, New York

15. A GOLD AND SILVER INL AID BR ONZE MYTHIC AL BEAS T
PAPERWEIGHT
Late Ming – Early Qing Dynasty, 17th Century

heavily cast, the exotic feline guardian beast seated on its haunches with head held up and turned
sharply back in an alert attitude with eyes fixed in a steady gaze under curly brows, finely inlaid in
gold and silver with flame motifs on the flanks, hair markings on the chest, backbone and bushy
tail, the top of the head inlaid with ruyi motifs, the base polished flat.
3
Length 2 ⁄8 inches (6 cm)
Height 2 inches (5.1 cm)
Provenance From the Collection of Robert Hall, London, before 1975
Shuisongshi Shanfang Collection
Exhibited Fung Ping Shan Museum, Hong Kong, 1986

Published Tsang and Moss, Arts from the Scholar’s Studio, Hong Kong, pp. 236-237, 1986, no. 225
This finely inlaid paperweight is an echo of the small bronze weights in the form of exotic animals and mythical beasts made
during the Warring States period and throughout the Han dynasty to hold down the corners of floor mats used as seating.
The high quality of these small sculptures and the use of precious metals conveyed the sophistication and social status of
their owners. In the Song and later dynasties Chinese scholars valued the ancient weights as works of art and used them
as scroll weights or paperweights. In response to the popularity of the rare ancient weights, Ming dynasty artisans created
similar weights for use in the scholar’s studio.

明末清初十七世紀 銅錯金銀瑞獸鎮紙 長 6 厘米 高 5.1 厘米
來源 倫敦 Robert Hall 舊藏，1975 年以前
水松石山房藏

展覽 香港大學馮平山博物館，1986
出版 Tsang 及 Moss〈文玩萃珍〉，香港大學馮平山博物館，1986 年，236-237 頁，225號