Page 106 - Bonhams Asian Art London November 5, 2020

97
A CARVED BAMBOO ‘QIAO SISTERS’ BRUSHPOT, BITONG
17th/18th century
The tall cylindrical vessel crisply carved around the exterior with a
continuous scene of two ladies reading in medium relief with finely incised
hair and elegant robes, seated on a stool and on an exquisitely detailed
daybed with books and archaic bronze vessel issuing flowers, the reverse
with a poetic inscription in xingshu calligraphy. 14.3cm (5 5/8in) high.

£3,000 - 5,000
CNY26,000 - 44,000
十七/十八世紀 竹雕二喬共讀筆筒

The present lot is rendered with the popular scene of the two Qiao
sisters, representing the height of bamboo carving in the late Ming and
early Qing periods. The Qiao sisters in Chinese history became legendary
for their beauty and for marrying two famous war heroes. They were
the daughters of the official Qiao Xuan (109-83) of the late Han dynasty,
with one marrying the warlord Sun Ce, and the other marrying Sun’s
close friend, General Zhou Yu. A very similar bamboo brushpot with the
Qiao sisters, attributed to Wu Zhifan (active 1662-1722) is illustrated in
Shanghai Museum, London, 2007, p.249; where it is noted that ‘Wu
Zhifan specialised in this technique’ of carving away the background
to make the figures more prominent. Compare with a similar carved
bamboo ‘Qiao sisters’ brushpot, 18th century, which was sold at
Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 3 April 2019, lot 3717.

98
A FINE BUFFALO-HORN CARVING OF A QILIN
18th/19th century
Well carved standing on its long hoofed feet above crashing waves, with
97 its head turned back towards the tail, with the jaws open, bulging eyes
and a single horn above the finely incised mane, the scaly body with
raised flames around its haunch, the horn of translucent amber tone,
wood stand. 9.8cm (3 7/8in) high (2).
£2,000 - 3,000
CNY18,000 - 26,000
十八/十九世紀 角雕麒麟擺件

Provenance: a Western private collection
Roger Keverne Ltd., London

Published and Exhibited: Roger Keverne Ltd., Summer 2012, London,
2012, no.102.

來源：西方私人收藏
倫敦古董商Roger Keverne Ltd.

出版著錄：Roger Keverne Ltd.，「夏季展覽」，倫敦，2012年，編號102

Compare a related ivory figure of a qilin, early 19th century, illustrated in
Chinese Ivories from the Shang to the Qing, London, 1984, no.148.
99
A RARE SMALL BAMBOO-VENEERED ‘DOUBLE LOZENGE’ BOX
AND COVER
18th century
Exquisitely decorated in tiehuang technique, the top with interlinked
squares of varied archaistic scrollwork, the sides with two registers
of linked ‘S’-shaped angular scrolls, the bamboo patinated to a light
golden-brown. 11cm (4 3/8in) wide. (2).
£4,000 - 6,000
98 CNY35,000 - 53,000
十八世紀 文竹連雲紋方勝式盒

Provenance: a European private collection

來源：歐洲私人收藏

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