Page 170 - Bonham's Asian Art London November 12, 2015

THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN 士紳藏品

184 Y
A RARE ARCHAISTIC RHINOCEROS HORN LIBATION CUP
18th century
The cup skilfully carved in high relief as an archaistic bronze wine gu
vessel with an adult chilong and three young forming the handle and
sinuously clambering over the side onto the interior amidst blossoming
lotus and leafy tendrils, the rectangular section accented by notched
flanges and supported on a splayed base decorated with eight
pendent plantain leaves enclosing stylised cicadas, the central register
with four confronting dragons, the upper part with two further chilong
and seven upright triangular blades filled with archaistic dragons and
leiwen, the rim encircled by a narrow keyfret band.
16cm (6 2/8in) long

£90,000 - 120,000
HK$1,100,000 - 1,400,000 CNY870,000 - 1,200,000

十八世紀 犀角仿古夔龍紋蟠螭耳盃

Provenance: an distinguished European private collection

來源： 歐洲顯赫私人收藏

This magnificent cup is one of the finest examples of superb
craftsmanship achieved in rhinoceros horn carving during the 18th
century.

Compare a rhinoceros horn libation cup illustrated by J.Rawson, The
British Museum Book of Chinese Art, London, 1992, fig.134, p.183. A
similar cup, but signed by Hu Xingyue, is illustrated in The Complete
Collection of Treasures from the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, vol. 44,
pl.134. Other cups are included in the collection of the Victoria and
Albert Museum, illustrated by E.Rawski, China: The Three Emperors
1662-1795, London, 2005, no.162 and others are illustrated by
J.Chapman, The Art of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, London,
1999, p. 41 and C.Clunas, Chinese Carving, London, 1996, fig.36
p.38.

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