Page 43 - Chiense Silver and Gold, 2012, J.J. Lally, New York

17. A Small Chased Silver Box and Cover
Tang Dynasty (A.D. 618–907)

of circular cushion shape, with two matching sections each gently domed and finely chased with a
dense pattern of exotic flowering vine scroll reserved on ring-matted grounds, the narrow straight
sides decorated with detached cloud motifs on ring-matted grounds between plain borders, with a
thin upright inner rim to receive the closely-fitted cover.

Diameter 1 ⁄8 inches (3.5 cm)
3
Finely made gold and silver boxes of this type containing rouge or aromatic balm were gifts from the emperor on la ri (臘日)—
a winter celebration taking place on the eighth day of December in the lunar calendar, according to Liu Yuxi (A.D. 772–842),
as recorded in chapter six hundred and two of Quan Tang wen (全唐文), the compilation of Tang records compiled by Qing

scholars early in the 19th century.
Compare the two smaller Tang dynasty silver boxes of this form chased with very similar decoration illustrated by Gyllensvärd
and Scott in Kinesiskt Guld och Silver I Carl Kempe-Samlingen (Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection),
Ulricehamn, 1999, p. 133, nos. 93 and 94.
Compare also the two Tang dynasty silver boxes chased with closely related decoration of scrolling vines in the Muwen
Tang Collection, illustrated by Kwan in Chinese Silver, Hong Kong, 2004, pp. 88–89, nos. 26 and 27.
A similarly decorated small silver box of this type from the collection of James W. Alsdorf is illustrated by Singer in the
catalogue of the special exhibition at the China Institute, Early Chinese Gold & Silver, New York, 1971, p. 39, no. 42. Another
small silver box decorated with birds and scrolling vines, from the collection of Frederick M. Meyer, is illustrated by Trubner
in the catalogue of the special exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Arts of the T’ang Dynasty, Los
Angeles, 1957, pp. 124–125, no. 353.
唐 寶相紋銀蓋盒 徑 3.5 厘米

18. A P air of Small Chased Silver Cups
Tang Dynasty (A.D. 618–907)
each wine cup of circular form resting on a narrow ring foot finely decorated on the exterior with
incised exotic vine scroll sprouting trefoil leaves, small flowers and bunches of stylized fruit on
a ring-punched ground, the steeply rounded bombé sides curving in below the flared rim and
rounded at the base, the interior plain.
Diameter 1 ⁄16 inches (4 cm)
9
A silver wine cup of this form similarly chased with a dense pattern of flowering vine scroll, formerly in the collection of C. T. Loo,
is illustrated by Beurdeley in The Chinese Collector Through the Centuries: From the Han to the 20th Century, Fribourg, 1966,
p. 225, Cat. 34.

唐 纏枝紋銀杯一對 徑 4 厘米