Page 98 - March 17, 2020 Impotant Chinese Art, Sotheby's, New York

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PROPERTY FROM A WEST COAST PRIVATE COLLECTION The present piece relates to a group of covered censers of
A RARE CLOISONNE ENAMEL ‘TAOTIE’ various sizes, unified by the overall form of a globular body
TRIPOD CENSER AND COVER on cabriole makara legs, two scrolled chilong handles, and a
domed cover surmounted by an openwork finial. The phoenix
QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD handles of the present lot are rare amongst this group.
The vessel form is derived from archaic bronze ding of the
the turquoise-ground globular body narrowing at the Shang and Zhou periods which were ritual food containers.
shoulder to an upright neck and galleried rim, the widest part However, this model has been transformed into a censer and
of the body set with an elaborate pair of gilt-bronze phoenix-
form handles, all supported on three gilt-bronze cabriole legs is fitted with an elaborate cover, handles and makara legs to
attached to the body by makara heads, each leg with two cater to the extravagant taste of the Qing Court.
vertical cloisonné panels of polychrome lotus scroll against A Qianlong period cloisonné enamel censer of related shape
a turquoise ground, the densely patterned body dominated is illustrated in Sir Harry Garner, Chinese and Japanese
by large pendent lappets enclosing royal-blue taotie masks Cloisonne Enamels, London, 1962, pl. 70. Another censer of
suspended at the sides, gilt keyfret and polychrome lotus this form, but with the usual cabriole legs replaced by three
scrolls meandering between the lappets, all below a band long-legged cranes, from the Qing Court Collection and still
of taotie masks at the shoulder, lotus scrolls at the neck, in Beijing, was included in the exhibition China: The Three
and gilt keyfret in relief at the rim, the domed cover with Emperors, The Royal Academy of Arts, London, 2006, cat.
scrolling lotus interspersed with ruyi-form cartouches and no. 304. Compare a related censer with peach sprays sold in
surmounted by a large openwork gilt-bronze finial in the our Hong Kong rooms, 11th April 2008, lot 2807; and another
form of dragons amidst clouds (2) with archaic jades and peony scroll designs was sold in our
Height 19¼ in., 48.9 cm Hong Kong rooms, 30th May 2005, lot 1285.
PROVENANCE
$ 60,000-80,000
Gump’s, San Francisco, 1980s.
清乾隆 銅胎掐絲琺瑯仿古紋鳳耳三足大
蓋爐

來源
Gump’s，舊金山，1980年代

192 SOTHEBY’S COMPLETE CATALOGUING AVAILABLE AT SOTHEBYS.COM/N10644