Page 60 - Bonhams Fine Chinese Art November 2018

Victor Denain (1880-1952) was a French general, aviator and
politician. He played a key role in the creation of the Salon-de-
Provence Air School and the general development of military
aviation in France. Denain graduated from Saint-Cyr in 1901
and joined the French Army’s cavalry. In 1915, however, he
transferred to the French Air Force where he commanded the
aircraft of the Allied armies on the Eastern Front (1916–1918).
With the French Air Force, he served in the Levant from 1918
to 1923, mainly in Syria. Denain was later Head of the French
Military Mission to Poland from 1924 to 1931. From 1933 to
1934, he served as the Chief of the Air Force General Staff
under Air Minister Pierre Cot. Together with Cot, they dealt
with the air force’s technological issues and built a series of
new aircraft. From 1934 to 1936, he was Aviation Minister
in the Gaston Doumergue government. During this time,
and on behalf of France, Denain announced this his country
would organise a Paris to Hanoi air race in 1935, modelled
after the London-Melbourne race. By 1936, under the Blum
government, General Denain, became High Commissioner of
Victor Denain (1880-1952) French Morocco.

157
A VERY RARE PAIR OF DOCUMENTARY BRONZE CANNON Provenance: General Victor Denain (1880-1952), Nice, France.
Dated to the 21st year of the Daoguang reign, corresponding to 1841 A French private collection
and of the period Sotheby’s London, 5 November 2014, lot 126
Each heavily cast of tapering cylindrical form, with the vent, reinforces,
chase and muzzle divided by raised ribs, flanked by a pair of trunnion, 來源：
inscribed in Chinese and Manchu. 法國尼斯Victor Denain將軍(1880-1952)舊藏
Each 102cm (40 ¼in) long. (2). 法國私人收藏
2014年11月5日於倫敦蘇富比拍賣，拍品126號
£30,000 - 50,000
CNY270,000 - 450,000
清道光 銅紀年火砲 一對
「大清道光二十一年」闘滿漢銘文

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