Page 85 - Bonhams September 10 2018 New York Chinese Works of Art
P. 85

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           A SET OF ENAMELED SILVER FIGURES OF THE EIGHT
           IMMORTALS
           Republic period                                   民國 銀加琺瑯彩八仙像一套
           Each hollow figure portraying one of the immortals in an animated   《北京天寶》 《北京天寶足紋》 《巳》 《足紋》《長足紋》《天寶》款
           pose, with removable heads, some with removable hands and
           attributes, clad in finely chased and brightly enameled robes and   The bases of the some of the figures in the present lot are marked
           skirts, the bases of seven with cash-shaped apertures and bearing   with the seal of the metal atelier Tianbao, located in Beijing.
           various combinations of seals reading changzuwen, Beijing Tianbao,
           si, zuwen, Tianbao and Beijing Tianbao zuwen.     Figures of the Eight Immortal are popular decorative motifs, because
           8 3/4in (22.2cm) high                             it is believed that they can bestow blessings. They represent the
                                                             spectrum of the human condition - young and old, rich and poor, civil
           $20,000 - 30,000                                  and military, learned and uncultivated, male and female.




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