Page 127 - March 23, 2022 Sotheby's NYC Fine Chinese Works of Art

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A LARGE BRONZE ‘BUDDHIST LION’ CENSER Society exhibition The Radiant Ming 1368-1644, Hong Kong PROPERTY FROM THE CARLTON AND JUNE BAXTER COLLECTION 明十六世紀 銅鎏金觀音坐像
AND COVER Museum of History, Hong Kong, 2015, cat. no. 279. A GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF GUANYIN
MING DYNASTY, 14TH / 15TH CENTURY Revered for their strength and spiritual essence, lions were MING DYNASTY, 16TH CENTURY 來源
(2) considered mythological guardians with the divine power to wood stand on top of an associated bronze padmasana (3) Robinson Boster，倫敦，1953年
Length 21½ in., 54.6 cm ward off evil spirits. While the origins of censers cast as lions Height 12⅞ in., 32.7 cm Wm. Williams (Kensington) Ltd.，倫敦，1953年
is difficult to determine, they gained much popularity in the
This impressive censer is skillfully cast in the form of a early Ming dynasty (1368-1644). Unlike this piece that is cast James A. Bines (1905-1987) 收藏
menacing lion moving at a steady gait. Its vitality and with the lid on the animal’s back, censers in the form of lions PROVENANCE 1970年代贈予現任藏家
strength are conveyed through the muscular body and were generally made with a detachable head and depicted Robinson Boster, London, 1953.
expressive pose, while its ferociousness is immediately seated. The hollowed interior was filled with charcoal, Wm. Williams (Kensington) Ltd., London, 1953.
sensed through the gaping mouth that reveals the animal’s sandalwood or musk, and when incense was lit, smoke Collection of James A. Bines (1905-1987).
teeth. Carefully rendered details, including the spiraling emerged through the beast’s mouth, giving the impression of Gifted to the present owners in the 1970s.
eyebrows, notched spine and naturalistic tail reflect the a living creature breathing smoke.
craftsmen’s technical and artistic virtuosity with this $ 12,000-15,000
medium. The dating of this lot is consistent with the result of a
thermoluminescence test Re. S. Artes, no. C141387B-1.
This lion is noteworthy for its unusual stance and large size
and no other closely related example appears to have been $ 100,000-150,000
published. A smaller lion cast in a similar pose was sold in
our London rooms, 11th November 2015, lot 124. See also a
censer in the form of a lion standing and carrying a foreigner, 明十四 / 十五世紀 銅太獅少獅大熏爐
sold in our London rooms, 12th June 2003, lot 83, and again
in our Hong Kong rooms, 8th April 2014, lot 210. Compare 本品經熱釋光檢測編號C141387B-1，結果與其斷代
also a lion censer, seated and with a detachable head, from 相符
the collection of Kevin Ching, included in the Min Chiu

250 SOTHEBY’S COMPLETE CATALOGUING AVAILABLE AT SOTHEBYS.COM/N10917 251