KANO TSUNENOBU: A MUSEUM-QUALITY 'GEESE IN WINTER' EIGHT-PANEL FOLDING SCREEN, EX-COLLECTION KENZO TAKADABy Kano Tsunenobu (1636-1713), signed Tsunenobu hitsu with seal Ukon TsunenobuJapan, 17th century, early Edo period (1615-1868)The Byobu finely painted with ink on paper, with a silk brocade frame and mounted to a black-lacquered wood screen with gilt-metal fittings neatly incised with peony and foliate scroll.Depicting a continuous scene with a gaggle of geese on a snowy outcrop, one standing on a gnarled willow covered in snow, with a flock of geese flying toward them in the background.Signed lower left TSUNENOBU hitsu [made by Tsunenobu] and with a red seal Ukon Tsunenobu.SIZE 206 x 75 cm (each panel) TOTAL SIZE 206 x 600 cmCondition: Very good condition, particularly when considering the age, with minor wear, soiling, few small tears and losses.Provenance: Galerie Gisèle Croës, Brussels, 1990. Kenzo Takada, acquired from the above. Kenzo Takada (1939-2020) was an iconic Japanese fashion designer living in France. He founded Kenzo, a worldwide brand of perfumes, skincare products, and clothes, and was the honorary president of the Asian Couture Federation. Takada was made a Knight of the Legion of Honor on 2 June 2016. For decades, Kenzo Takada had built an impressive and diverse collection of furniture, paintings, objects, works of art and fashion pieces, including many objects of fine Japanese art, displaying in his home a subtle balance between the influences of East and West, reflecting the free spirit of his creative genius.Kano Tsunenobu (1636-1713) was a Japanese painter of the Kano school. He first studied under his father, Kano Naonobu, and then his uncle, Kano Tan'yu, after his father's death. He became a master painter and succeeded his uncle Tan'yu as head of the Kano school in 1674. It is believed many works attributed to Tan'yu might actually be by Tsunenobu, but it is difficult to know since they often worked on larger pieces together.Auction comparison: Compare a pair of closely related eight-panel screens by the same artist, depicting cranes and pine trees in a similar winterly setting, at Christie's, Japanese Screens, Paintings and Prints, 27 October 1998, New York, lot 146 (sold for 74,000 USD = 124,500 USD in today's currency after inflation).
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A RARE MIXED METAL NETSUKE OF A FUCHI-GASHIRA WITH ORCHIDJapan, late 19th centuryThe fuchi-gashira shaped netsuke fitted with a gilt metal plate and inlaid in the front with a silver orchid, the sides bearing a nanako ground, the back with a gilt metal chrysanthemum knop and looped cord attachment.LENGTH 3.9 cmCondition: Good condition with minor associated surface wear.Provenance: Ex-collection Richard R. Silverman, purchased from Ito, Tokyo, in 2006. Richard R. Silverman (1932-2019) was a renowned Asian art collector with one of the largest private collections of netsuke outside of Japan. He lived in Tokyo between 1964 and 1979 and began to collect netsuke there in 1968. Since the 1970s, he wrote and lectured about netsuke and was an Asian art consultant for Christie's, Sotheby's, and Bonhams. His gift of 226 ceramic netsuke to the Toledo Museum of Art constitutes perhaps the largest public collection of these miniature clay sculptures in the world. After moving to California, Silverman became a member of the Far Eastern Art Council at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 1984. In 1993, he joined LACMA's Executive Board. He served on the board of directors for the International Society of Appraisers from 1986 to 1994 and served nine years as chair for the City of West Hollywood Fine Arts Commission. Richard Silverman was posthumously awarded the Order of the Rising Sun for his decades-long promotion of Japanese culture.
AN IVORY NETSUKE OF A RECLINING HOTEI WITH HOSSU (FLYWHISK)Japan, 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868)Finely carved in a reclining posture, holding a hossu, the netsuke of a type meant to be worn horizontally reclining on the top of the obi. His loose robe with finely carved folds and opening at the chest to reveal his rotund belly and ample chest, a cheerful expression on his chubby face, the mouth agape in a laugh, the back with two generously excavated, asymmetrical himotoshi.LENGTH 6.1 cmCondition: Very good condition, appealingly worn, minor age cracks, light honey-yellow patina to the reverse. The himotoshi clearly display signs of use.Provenance: Acquired at Kunsthaus Lempertz, Asian Art, 6 September 2017, Cologne, lot 500.Netsuke such as the present lot are of unusually high quality for early figural ivory netsuke. Unlike the seated Hotei types, which tend to follow earlier Chinese models, these horizontal variants are purely Japanese in concept.Trade Certificate: The trade certificate for the sale of this lot within the EU has been granted (permit number AT 22-B-0339).This item contains ivory, rhinoceros horn, tortoise shell, and/or some types of tropical wood and is subject to CITES when exporting outside the EU. It is typically not possible to export such items outside of the EU, including to the UK. Therefore, after this item has the necessary trade certificate, it can only be shipped within the EU or picked up in our gallery in person.
A FINE WOOD NETSUKE OF OKAME SLEEPINGJapan, mid-19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)Finely carved to depict Okame sleeping on a mat carved as the character yume (dream), her head resting on one hand, the other hand on her knee, the face with a gentle expression, the hair neatly incised. Himotoshi to the underside.LENGTH 4.5 cmCondition: Very good condition, minor wear.Provenance: Ex-collection Richard R. Silverman, purchased from Ito, Tokyo, in 2003. Richard R. Silverman (1932-2019) was a renowned Asian art collector with one of the largest private collections of netsuke outside of Japan. He lived in Tokyo between 1964 and 1979 and began to collect netsuke there in 1968. Since the 1970s, he wrote and lectured about netsuke and was an Asian art consultant for Christie's, Sotheby's, and Bonhams. His gift of 226 ceramic netsuke to the Toledo Museum of Art constitutes perhaps the largest public collection of these miniature clay sculptures in the world. After moving to California, Silverman became a member of the Far Eastern Art Council at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 1984. In 1993, he joined LACMA's Executive Board. He served on the board of directors for the International Society of Appraisers from 1986 to 1994 and served nine years as chair for the City of West Hollywood Fine Arts Commission. Richard Silverman was posthumously awarded the Order of the Rising Sun for his decades-long promotion of Japanese culture.
NORITSUGU: A RARE SILVER AND MIXED-METAL NETSUKE OF A KABUTOBy Noritsugu, signed Noritsugu Japan, 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)The netsuke cast in the form of a kabuto (helmet), the rounded bowl overlaid with silver ridges and surmounted by a tehen kanamono in the form of a chrysanthemum, a fitting at the front for the maedate (forecrest), the himotoshi also in the form of chrysanthemum to the underside and the signature NORITSUGU within an oval reserve.LENGTH 4.3 cmCondition: Very good condition, minor surface wear. Provenance: Ex-collection Richard R. Silverman, purchased from Midori Gallery (Sachi Wagner) in 1994. Richard R. Silverman (1932-2019) was a renowned Asian art collector with one of the largest private collections of netsuke outside of Japan. He lived in Tokyo between 1964 and 1979 and began to collect netsuke there in 1968. Since the 1970s, he wrote and lectured about netsuke and was an Asian art consultant for Christie's, Sotheby's, and Bonhams. His gift of 226 ceramic netsuke to the Toledo Museum of Art constitutes perhaps the largest public collection of these miniature clay sculptures in the world. After moving to California, Silverman became a member of the Far Eastern Art Council at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 1984. In 1993, he joined LACMA's Executive Board. He served on the board of directors for the International Society of Appraisers from 1986 to 1994 and served nine years as chair for the City of West Hollywood Fine Arts Commission. Richard Silverman was posthumously awarded the Order of the Rising Sun for his decades-long promotion of Japanese culture.
A GOLD LACQUER BOWL WITH KATABAMI MONJapan, Meiji period (1868-1912)The deep rounded sides supported on a slightly spreading foot, the rims of gold fundame, the nashiji ground decorated in gold and silver takamaki-e with three irregularly spaced katabami mon, a design of yellow sorrel flowers, against scrolling foliage.DIAMETER 12.4 cmCondition: Very good condition with minor surface wear, the rim with two tiny nicks.Provenance: The Ankarcrona Collection of Japanese Works of Art. Old inventory label to base. Sten Ankarcrona (1861-1936) began collecting upon his first visit to Japan in the late 1880s, at the beginning of the golden age of travel and collecting in Europe. The young aristocratic Swedish naval officer became fascinated by the breadth of artistic production in the region and continued to add to his collection back in Europe. In 1923, by then an admiral, he was appointed by the King of Sweden to travel back to Japan on a special mission, where he spent two months making many more purchases. His love of Asian art was later passed down to his children and grandchildren, who have enriched the family collection during their own visits to Japan throughout the second half of the 20th century.
A FINE GOLD LACQUER SIX-LOBED KOBAKO AND COVERJapan, mid-19th century to Meiji period (1868-1912)The kinji ground finely decorated in black, red, and gold hiramaki-e and takamaki-e to depict a textile with hanabishi (lit. flowery diamonds) ground, the cover further with a lacquer storage box for playing cards (karuta) with dense foliate designs and a beautiful red cord wrapped around it, as well as chrysanthemum sprays and a folding fan, the interior and base with nashiji, the interior edges of gold fundame.DIAMETER 10.6 cmCondition: Good condition with minor wear, a small chip to the interior rim of the box, few tiny nicks to edges, light surface scratches to base.Provenance: The Ankarcrona Collection of Japanese Works of Art. Old inventory labels to base. Sten Ankarcrona (1861-1936) began collecting upon his first visit to Japan in the late 1880s, at the beginning of the golden age of travel and collecting in Europe. The young aristocratic Swedish naval officer became fascinated by the breadth of artistic production in the region and continued to add to his collection back in Europe. In 1923, by then an admiral, he was appointed by the King of Sweden to travel back to Japan on a special mission, where he spent two months making many more purchases. His love of Asian art was later passed down to his children and grandchildren, who have enriched the family collection during their own visits to Japan throughout the second half of the 20th century.
A RARE SILVER AND GILT RYUSA MANJU NETSUKEJapan, 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868)The massively cast and open-worked silver manju netsuke consisting of two parts which are welded together, ornately decorated with a central flower surrounded by scrolling foliage and with gilt highlights. Two himotoshi to the reverse.DIAMETER 4 cmCondition: Very good condition, minor wear, few casting irregularities.Provenance: Ex-collection Richard R. Silverman, purchased from Yagi, Kyoto, in 2007. Richard R. Silverman (1932-2019) was a renowned Asian art collector with one of the largest private collections of netsuke outside of Japan. He lived in Tokyo between 1964 and 1979 and began to collect netsuke there in 1968. Since the 1970s, he wrote and lectured about netsuke and was an Asian art consultant for Christie's, Sotheby's, and Bonhams. His gift of 226 ceramic netsuke to the Toledo Museum of Art constitutes perhaps the largest public collection of these miniature clay sculptures in the world. After moving to California, Silverman became a member of the Far Eastern Art Council at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 1984. In 1993, he joined LACMA's Executive Board. He served on the board of directors for the International Society of Appraisers from 1986 to 1994 and served nine years as chair for the City of West Hollywood Fine Arts Commission. Richard Silverman was posthumously awarded the Order of the Rising Sun for his decades-long promotion of Japanese culture.
AN IVORY NETSUKE OF A RAT WITH HAMAGURI CLAMSJapan, Osaka or Kyoto, 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868)A well-sized and boldly carved ivory netsuke of a seated rat (nezumi) lifting its front paws, the thick tail curling around and caught inside a hamaguri clam, another clam next to it revealing a fleshy tongue - both surely an erotic allusion. The rodent's eyes are inlaid in dark horn. Very large and generously excavated himotoshi underneath. The ivory bearing a fine, yellowish patina and the neatly incised hairwork is appealingly worn.LENGTH 4.8 cmCondition: Very good condition with associated natural age cracks.Provenance: French private collection.Auction comparison:Compare to a closely related ivory netsuke, signed Masakazu, sold at Van Ham, Asian Art, 14 June 2018, Cologne, lot 2280 (sold for 1,935 EUR).Trade Certificate: The trade certificate for the sale of this lot within the EU has been granted (permit number AT 22-B-0105).This item contains ivory, rhinoceros horn, tortoise shell, and/or some types of tropical wood and is subject to CITES when exporting outside the EU. It is typically not possible to export such items outside of the EU, including to the UK. Therefore, after this item has the necessary trade certificate, it can only be shipped within the EU or picked up in our gallery in person.
A FINE GOLD LACQUER BOX AND COVER WITH A BIRD AND PRUNUSJapan, 19th centuryOf rectangular tebako form with rounded corners, bearing a nashiji ground finely decorated in iro-e takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, kirigane, and e-nashiji to depict a bird with open beak perched on a bamboo gutter mounted between gnarled branches of an old burly cherry blossom tree bearing rich blossoms, the water from the gutter splashing onto a rock amid grasses and bamboo from the cover to the side of the box, leading to a meandering stream. The interior of nashiji with gold fundame edges.SIZE 13.6 x 10.6 cmCondition: Very good condition with minor surface wear.Provenance: The Ankarcrona Collection of Japanese Works of Art. Sten Ankarcrona (1861-1936) began collecting upon his first visit to Japan in the late 1880s, at the beginning of the golden age of travel and collecting in Europe. The young aristocratic Swedish naval officer became fascinated by the breadth of artistic production in the region and continued to add to his collection back in Europe. In 1923, by then an admiral, he was appointed by the King of Sweden to travel back to Japan on a special mission, where he spent two months making many more purchases. His love of Asian art was later passed down to his children and grandchildren, who have enriched the family collection during their own visits to Japan throughout the second half of the 20th century.
A Roman Amber Glass Date Flask Circa 1st-2nd Century A.D.Height 3 inches (8 cm).Collection from an Important Midwestern ScholarProvenance:Ancient Art International, October 1999.Warren Koch, New York.Arte Primitivo, New York, Fine Classical, Egyptian & Asian Antiquities, 3 October 2006, Lot 303.Private Collection, Connecticut. Christie's, New York,Antiquities, 4 June 2008, Lot 131.Height with stand 4 inches (10.1 cm)
A Roman Marble Statue of CybeleCirca 1st-3rd Century A.D.Height 20 1/4 inches (51.4 cm)Property from a New Jersey Private CollectionProvenance: Private Collection, Germany, 1980s.Artemis Gallery, Louisville, Colorado, Antiquities Asian Ethnographic Fine Art, 26 September 2019, Lot 76A.Size: 10.5" W x 20.25" H (26.7 cm x 51.4 cm)
A Luristan Bronze SwordCirca Early 1st Millennium B.C.Height 22 inches (55.4 cm).Property from a New Jersey Private CollectionProvenance: Art Market, London.David Kennedy Collection, late 1980s.Private Collection (Green), York, England. Artemis Gallery, Louisville, Colorado, Ancient Asian Ethnographic Winter Variety, 10 January 2019, Lot 59A.
Maqbool Fida Husain (Indian, 1913-2011)Untitled (Horse) signed lower rightacrylic on canvas60 x 75.6cm (23 5/8 x 29 3/4in).Footnotes:ProvenanceAcquired directly from the artist in December 2007 in London.CompareFor a similar work sold in these rooms see Islamic & Indian Art Part II, Modern & Contemporary South Asian, Middle Eastern & Turkish Art, London, 23rd April 2013, lot 414.Arabic سيرو في الأرض كيف كان عاقبة المكذبين RomanSiro fil arzKaifa kaana aakebatul-mukazabeenEnglishExplore the worldHow was the end of liarsThe sound of galloping horses seemed like a tremor to me.Its echoes do not seems to stop.All these horses running together raise a cloud of dust.Duldul - the horse from the battle of Karbala,Ashwamedh - reaching up to Luv and Kush.Luminous in their seven rainbow colours.Horses harnessed to the chariot of the Sun God,Bursting through the sky.Passionate horses, screaming with desire.The Chinese terracotta horses,Folk horses from the village of Bankura,Horses, with the beauty of a woman and the valour of a man.M.F. Husain (R. Siddiqui, In Conversation with Husain Paintings, Books Today Group, 2001, p. 114)Husain's rapture with the horse motif was formed after the recurrence of this symbol at numerous points in his life. An early influence was the procession to mourn and commemorate the Prophet's grandson, Husayn ibn Ali, during the Islamic month of Muharram, when a tazia or effigy of Husayn ibn Ali's horse was carried through the streets.In 1952 Husain visited China and was struck by both ancient Chinese pottery and paintings, in particular that of the Sung dynasty renderings of horses and by the works Xu Beihong. The dramatic monochromatic lines had the deftness of certainty yet also the fluidity of motion.This undated acrylic on canvas created in the latter part of Husain's career encapsulates his various influences and is bolstered by the inclusion of the 137th verse of chapter 3, the Family of Imran from the Qu'ran, which says that similar situations [as yours] have passed before you, so travel through the earth and see what was the end of those who disbelieved [in the Oneness of Allah, and disobeyed Him and His Messengers]. The vibrant yellow of the horse pitted against the red background echoes this verse, and is both theatrical and striking, making it a quintessential Husain painting.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Maqbool Fida Husain (Indian, 1913-2011)Untitled (Cow and White Lady) signed and dated Husain 1956 lower rightoil on canvas40 x 55cm (15 3/4 x 21 5/8in).Footnotes:ProvenancePrivate Collection, France;Acquired from the artist by the vendor in 1956/1957 in Pondicherry.CompareFor a watercolour depicting a similar composition dating from 1957, see Sotheby's, Modern & Contemporary South Asian Art, London, 25th October 2017, lot 13.Note: The work is in its original frame.Husain's paintings in the 1950s were an amalgamation of various influences that included Gupta sculptures, Basholi miniatures, Chinese calligraphy, Western Art, and the Partition of India in 1947. Whilst it is difficult to attribute which source played a more pertinent role in each of his works, it would not be erroneous to say that the aftermath of Partition is evident in the present lot. Husain chose to remain in India after 1947, despite being a practising Muslim. He travelled extensively around the country and in order to reconcile his decision and articulate it artistically he chose to identify with the rural and tribal people of India, who despite their differing religions, were unified in their poverty. Husain's works from this period therefore are dominated by the rural cultural landscape of India, and the present lot is an archetypal example of this. For another work of a similar style dating from the same period, see K. Bikram Singh, Maqbool Fida Husain, New Delhi, 2008, p.75, figure 57.'There is an exalted dignity about the people who inhabit Husain's canvasses. Peasants, workers, craftsmen, women toiling in fields of huddled together in conversation all have self-contained poise, the stoic patience and grace associated with the common people. He captures their postures and lineaments their distinctive ethos and culture...not by physiognomy or costume alone are they differentiated, but in their total bearing and presence.' (Alkazi, M.F. Husain: The Modern Artist and Tradition, New Delhi, 1978, p. 22)Critic Yashodhara Dalmia goes further and has drawn parallels between Husain and Amrita Sher-Gil's rural themed works, delineating that 'Husain drew from the classical, the miniature and folk and attempted to meld it into a language which formulated the present. It allowed him to express a perceived reality which while being seamless, mythical and vast was at the same time hurtling towards industrialisation and modernisation. Husain took Amrita's legacy further toward a more authentic stage. His villagers are not particularly beautiful; but surrounded by their tools, their animals... they appear more truly alive, secure and rooted in their environment.' (Dalmia, The Making of Modern Indian Art: The Progressives, Delhi, 2001, p. 107This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Jamil Naqsh (Pakistani, 1938-2019)Figure with Pigeon II signed and dated '06 lower left and signed versooil on canvas122 x 91cm (48 1/16 x 35 13/16in).Footnotes:ProvenanceAcquired by the vendor from Albermarle Gallery, London in 2009.PublishedAlbermarle Gallery, Jamil Naqsh: A retrospective, plate 51, 2011.Nigaah Magazine: Arts and Culture from South Asia, Volume.1, Seventy Three, 2018.CompareFor similar works sold in these rooms, see Modern and Contemporary Arab, Iranian, Indian and Pakistani Art, Dubai, 3rd March 2008, lot 115 and Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art, London, 27th May 2016, lot 59.Jamil Naqsh is perhaps best known for his two leitmotif's, images of pigeons, or of pigeons and women combined, as evidenced in the present lot. These motifs are important in Naqsh's oeuvre and possess numerous meanings. One such meaning is that the birds represent domestic harmony drawn from memories of his childhood in Kairana, where birds used to frequent his family home. They would fly in and out through open windows, strut around the courtyard and peck at the grains left for them, whilst the depiction of women could be seen to be reminiscent of his mother, who passed away whilst he was still a child. These works could also be interpreted as being deeply romantic, with the pigeons being seen as messengers of love. Naqsh was influenced by various artists and artistic movements. Some of these included Mughal miniature painting, the erotic reliefs on the temples of Khajuraho, Puri and Bhuvaneshwar created between 950 and 1150 c.e., European and American Modernism and the European Old Masters. Naqsh's success lay in his ability to merge the techniques of these various schools, and to come up with his own idiom. In the present work, from the latter part of his career, we can see the fusion of Cubist elements and the geometrical division of the pictorial space, and yet the work is distinctly modern in its abstraction and lack of ornamentation. Far from Naqsh's depiction of the same subject being seen as repetitive, it is testament to his abilities that he managed to stay engaged and explore the same subject continually, in minute detail and in an infinite variety of tones and textures. To see more examples of these works from across his artistic career, see Mohatta Palace Museum, Karachi, Jamil Naqsh: A retrospective, 2003, pp. 60-107.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Jagdish Swaminathan (Indian, 1928-1994)Untitled (Mountain & Bird Series) signed and dated (indistinct) in Devanagari versooil on canvas85 x 120cm (33 15/32 x 47 1/4in).Footnotes:ProvenancePrivate Collection, Mumbai; Acquired by the vendor from Baburao Bhalinge in 2006, who acquired the work from the artist in 1990.CompareFor a similar work sold at Sotheby's see, South Asian Modern & Contemporary Art, New York, 16th September 2009, lot 528.'Commonly referred to as the Bird and Mountain series, the paintings are luminous and induce a meditative calm. They are suggestive, open to interpretation: as an expression of the self's unity with nature, they can be seen as a visual equivalent to the transcendental principle expounded in the Upanishads.' (A. Jhaveri, A Guide to 101 Modern and Contemporary Indian Artists, Mumbai, 2005, p.93)Swaminathan founded 'Group 1890' in 1962, alongside 12 other male members, some of whom included Gulam Mohammed Sheikh, Himmat Shah, Ambadas Khobragade and Eric Bowen. Many of these members had graduated from the University of Baroda, and they held their only exhibition, 'Group 1890' at the Lalit Kala Akademi, where they publicised their manifesto. Their manifesto was a call to artists to see phenomena in their 'virginal state,' and Swaminathan's canvases from his 'Bird and Mountain' series can be seen to emulate this. The canvasses feature mountains and levitating stones with the archetypal bird form. Painted with a delicacy and simplicity that is confounding, this work seeks to exemplify the ascent of man's inner being leaving the gross and the sullied. (J. Swaminathan, 20th Century Museum of Contemporary Indian Art, presented online by Vadhera Art Gallery).The series is heavily inspired from the folk and tribal art of India which feature lucid compositions, forms and bold use of colours, and the series therefore is a rejection of the romanticism of the Bengal tradition and the mannerism of modern European Art. The abstracted forms hint at a ritual significance and are reminiscent of Neolithic cave paintings found throughout Europe, Africa and Asia. The common theme pervading the series is the artist's spirituality and respect for nature as the guide to the unrealized and hidden. The series is perhaps best described in Swaminathan's owns words, 'In the late 1960s I tried to probe the relation of colour to space and after a study of Pahari miniatures did a series called Geometry of Space. After the colour Geometry show I entered the now famous phase of the bird, the mountain, the tree, the reflection, the shadow, and it lasted for quite a while...However, the obsession was wonderful while it lasted and what tribute would a painter want then a letter from a collector saying that my work brought peace and tranquillity into her house.' (Lalit Kala Contemporary, Issue 40, March 1995, New Delhi, p.11)This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Krishna Hawlaji Ara (Indian, 1914-1985)Untitled (Still Life) signed 'Ara' lower rightwatercolour and gouache on paper61.8 x 46.5cm (24 5/16 x 18 5/16in).Footnotes:ProvenancePrivate Collection, India; Acquired from the artist's family member.CompareFor a similarly styled vase and painting technique see Christie's, South Asian Art, Mumbai, 19th December 2013, lot 13.It was around the late 1940s and all through the 1950s that Ara turned towards painting Still Life. His Still Life's have a deliberate roughness in both drawing and painting as can be seen in the present lot, and this is perhaps the most striking aspect of his paintings. The pink flowers drawn with minimal attention to detail, help distinguish his work from other artists and seeks to encapsulate what Ara wished to achieve in his works, which was the honest expression of form. Although Ara worked primarily in watercolours, his techniques evolved so that it looked as though his works were made using oil paints, as one might deduce when looking at the current lot. He achieved this by applying his colours straight from the tube and then spreading it in a dry impasto method. Ara's achievement perhaps lies in his abilities to combine sensuality with a calculated structuring that elevated and distinguished him from his contemporaries.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Krishna Hawlaji Ara (Indian, 1914-1985)Youth signed 'Ara' lower rightoil on canvas59 x 44cm (23 1/4 x 17 5/16in).Footnotes:ProvenanceRudi von Leyden and thence by descent;Sotheby's, Modern & Contemporary South Asian Art - Including Indian Miniature Paintings, London, 8th June 2012, lot 32; Acquired by the vendor from the above. ExhibitedInternational Contemporary Art Exhibition, New DelhiThere is a label on the back, titled International Contemporary Art Exhibition, New Delhi(India) with the title of the picture: Youth, competition No: 1, medium: oil colour, Price: Rs. 450/Four Hundred and..., Name and address of the artist: K.H. Ara... The price and address is not decipherable. Ara was a self-taught artist who was born in Bolarum, Secunderabad into poverty as the son of a chauffeur, and ran away from home aged 7 to Mumbai following his mother's demise and his father's remarriage. He supported himself in Mumbai by cleaning cars and then working as a houseboy. He was imprisoned for five months following his participation in the Salt Satyagraha during the Civil Disobedience Movement. Despite his economic plight and the challenges he faced, he was devoted to the pursuit of art, and carried on with his practice. It was after the success of his first solo show, organised by Kekoo Gandhy at the Chetana Restaurant in Bombay in 1942, that Ara founded the Progressive Artist's Group, where he had opportunity to interact with several critics of the time. The present lot traces it origins to one of those critics, Rudi von Leyden from the Times of India. Von Leyden was a staunch supporter of Ara, and provided him with a stipend in order to hone his craft. Although Ara started painting landscapes and still life paintings, he later moved to painting female nudes and portraits, as evidenced in the present lot. His medium of choice to paint also changed, from gouaches and watercolours to oil paints. He now favoured precision in his paintings over the jagged and brash strokes used to execute his earlier works. His art appears to be spontaneous and intuitive, and although there is no apparent nudity in the present lot, the lower half of this painting was obscured and unvarnished when it was exhibited at the International Contemporary Art exhibition in New Delhi, owing to the artistic practise at the time of depicting brazen nudity.He exhibited widely during the early part of his career, and one notable exhibition includes the inaugural show of the Pundole Art Gallery in 1963. He was the recipient of the annual prizes of the Bombay Art Society, and was the founder and secretary of the Artists' Aid Centre and trutee of the Jehangir Art Gallery in Bombay. He was also a fellow and general council member of the Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
George Keyt (Sri Lankan, 1901-1993)Maya and Radha signed and dated 'G Keyt 48' upper leftoil on canvas68 x 66.7cm (26 3/4 x 26 1/4in).Footnotes:ProvenanceIndigo Blue Art, Singapore;Acquired by the vendor from the above in 2006.CompareFor a similar work sold at Sotheby's, see Indian Art, New York, 19th March 2008, lot 2.In his enduring legacy as the most distinguished modern artist from Sri Lanka, George Keyt's vivid representations of Maya and Radha can be identified as one of the hallmarks of his artistic practice. Born in 1901, George Keyt started painting when he was 26 and developed a seminal style that grounds bounding lines and rich warmth of colour. A style that found its roots in Cubism, Fauvism and flourished under the influence of ancient South Asian fresco techniques found at Ajanta and Sigiriya.A trademark of Keyt's figuration, the eyes of the two maidens in the painting bear the marks of the artist's signature stylisation, with their enlarged, almond-shaped eyes and exaggerated features with a focus on bold, crisp lines drawn from a distinct Cubist perspective. The blue, fauvist background of the scene conveys the life and exuberance of Sri Lanka and Keyt's love and passion for this land.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Abdur Rahman Chughtai (Pakistani, 1897-1975)Untitled (Under the Arch) signed lower leftEtching40.3 x 24.8cm (15 7/8 x 9 3/4in).Footnotes:ProvenancePrivate UK Collection.CompareFor an identical etching sold at Christie's see South Asian Modern & Contemporary Art, New York, 18th March 2014, lot 226.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Jamini Prokash Gangooly (Indian, 1876-1953)Untitled (Himalayan Landscape) signed lower leftoil on board23 x 31.2cm (9 1/16 x 12 5/16in).Footnotes:ProvenancePrivate UK Collection.CompareFor a similar work sold at Christie's see South Asian Modern & Contemporary Art, London, 26th May 2016, lot 24.Jamini Prokash Gangooly was part of the extended Tagore family, that included Gagendranath and Abanindranath Tagore. It was under the tutelage of British painter Charles Palmer that he crafted and developed his skills in realist portraiture, oil painting and landscapes. Whilst he was adept at depicting various genres, and received awards both locally and internationally, he gravitated towards painting landscapes. Both the present lots exemplify his abilities to combine the imagery of his hometown of Bengal and European naturalistic methods and demonstrate his favoured subject, sunrise and sunset expertly painted, using light and shade.In the first lot, we can see two figures by the river, lighting a fire, the colour of which is mirrored on the tip of the large rock immediately to their left. The densely mist-laden atmospheric affect, created by the brooding mountains, is evident in the second lot, although the foliage plays a more prominent role here, with the various hues of green. His brushstrokes are almost invisible, and it is unsurprising that he earned the sobriquet 'Painter of Padma,' given his predilection for painting hundreds of oils depicting the same subject, the sun setting on the river Padma. Both paintings are quintessential examples of his most celebrated genre.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Jamini Prakash Gangooly (Indian, 1876-1953)Untitled (Himalayan Landscape) signed lower leftoil on board29.4 x 45cm (11 9/16 x 17 11/16in).Footnotes:ProvenancePrivate UK Collection.CompareFor a similar work sold at Sotheby's see Modern & Contemporary South Asian Art 21st March 2022, lot 71.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Ahmed Parvez (Pakistani, 1926-1979)Untitled (Metaphorical Landscape) signed and dated Ahmed Parvez 1963 lower leftwatercolour and mixed media on paper63.5 x 41.2cm (25 x 16 1/4in).Footnotes:ProvenancePrivate UK Collection.CompareFor a similar work sold in these rooms, see Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art, London, 25th October 2021, lot 59.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Iqbal Hussain (Pakistani, B. 1950)Untitled (Woman in a burqa) signed lower rightoil on canvas91.8 x 60.3cm (36 1/8 x 23 3/4in).Footnotes:ProvenanceAcquired by the vendor from a Pakistani Art Gallery.CompareFor another work depicting women, sold at auction, see Sotheby's, Contemporary Indian and South Asian Paintings, London, 17th June 1998, lot 11.Although Hussain is most well known for his portraits of women, he is equally adept at painting landscapes and still life's as can be seen in the other lot in this collection. Husain is often termed a controversial painter as the models for his works are the prostitutes and dancing girls of Lahore. His women, as seen in the present lot are depicted as they appear in real life, fully clothed and sitting, and often with a resigned look in their eyes. The black background heightens the darkness and despair, and its almost as though the woman is receding into the background. Hussain's works have been exhibited in various shows, some of which include the 1983 Asian Biennial Dacca, Bangladesh, the 1986 International Exhibition in Seoul, London, Paris and Brussels and the 2003 show at World Bank Building, Islamabad, Pakistan. A retrospective was held for his works in 2018, at Tanzara Gallery in Pakistan, where the collection of the former World Bank Pakistan country director, John Wall was displayed; Wall is a patron of the artist.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Sheikh Mohammed Sultan (Bangladeshi, 1923-1994)Untitled (Farmer ploughing with bulls) signed and dated '88 lower leftoil on jute59.9 x 75cm (23 9/16 x 29 1/2in).Footnotes:ProvenanceAcquired from the artist by Ruqaiyya Bano, a family friend;Acquired by the vendor from the above.CompareFor a scene depicting similar muscular bodies, see Christie's, South Asian Modern & Contemporary Art, New York, 14th September 2016, lot 688.Sultan was born in Machimdia village, in what was then known as Jessore District, British India. He studied at the Government School of Art in Calcutta, where Mukul Dey, the pioneer of drypoint-etching in India was Principal. Under Dey's tutelage, students were encouraged to paint contemporary landscapes and portraits reflecting their own experiences, as opposed to copying the Old Masters and painting Indian allegorical, mythological and historical subjects. The current painting comes from Sultan's Bangladeshi period, after his 1969 solo exhibition at the Khulna Club, Khulna and the first group National Art Exhibition in Dhaka in 1975, where his works were transformed, and he started to paint and draw agricultural labourers engaged in everyday life, as can be seen in the present lot. These works are distinctive due to their exaggerated muscular physiques, which are metaphors for the hard working and sturdy peasants, who are the backbone of Bangladesh. Sultan is seen are one of the four pioneers of Bangladeshi modernism, along with Quamrul Hassan, Zainul Abedin and Safiuddin Ahmed. He exhibited globally during his career and some notable exhibitions included those in Lahore and Karachi in 1948 and 1949, where be forged friendships with Shakir Ali and Abdur Rehman Chughtai, at the Institute of International Education, New York in 1950 and at the German Cultural Centre, Dhaka in 1987.The Bangladeshi Shilpakala Academy, Bangladesh's principal state sponsored national cultural centre of Bangladesh introduced an award named after him, which is given out annually to a notable artist on Sultan's birth anniversary. He also received the Ekushey Padak in 1982, which is Bangladesh's highest civilian national award in the field of culture. His works form part of the collections of the National Art Gallery, Bangladesh; the Bangladesh National Museum, the Bengal Foundation and the SM. Sultan Memorial Museum.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Abdul Aziz Raiba (Indian, 1922-2016)Untitled (Villagers and buildings on a sea shore) signed and dated Raiba 10.4.93 lower left oil on jute81 x 106cm (31 7/8 x 41 3/4in).Footnotes:ProvenanceAcquired by the vendor's father in the 1990s. He worked for the Portuguese Embassy in India between the 1960s-1980s and continued to live in India after completing his term which is when he acquired this work.CompareFor a similar work sold in these rooms, see Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art, London, 25th October 2021, lot 20.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Jamini Roy (Indian, 1887-1972)Untitled (Bride with two companions) signed lower rightgouache on cloth75 x 38cm (29 1/2 x 14 15/16in).Footnotes:ProvenanceAcquired in Calcutta between 1945 and 1954, when the current owner's uncle was employed in the freight department of the Kerr Steamship Company.Private UK collection, Leicestershire, UK.CompareFor a similar work sold at Sotheby's see Modern & Contemporary South Asian Art, London, 29th September 2020, lot 2.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Anwar Jalal Shemza (British Pakistani, 1928-1985)Untitled (The Walls of Lahore) signed 'Anwar Jalal Shemza' and dated '1963' in Urdu upper rightink on paper54.5 x 42.9cm (21 7/16 x 16 7/8in).Footnotes:ProvenancePrivate Collection, UK;Acquired from the artist by the vendor who is a family member.CompareFor a similar work, dating from 1960, sold at Christie's, see South Asian Modern & Contemporary Art, New York, 22nd September 2021, lot 676.This work is part of the City Wall series, and it marries the two motifs that are a recurrent theme in Shemza's works, the City and the Wall. The City and the Wall have been constructed through the use of the Roman letters B and D, whilst the pattern itself was created using the materials of muslin and ink. Directly to the left of the City and Wall we can see the waxing and waning of the moons in the sky. In composition, this work is similar to the work, The Wall that was used as the catalogue cover for Hayward Gallery's seminal exhibition in 1989, The Other Story and is part of the collection of the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. Parallel's can also be drawn with Untitled, mixed media, which is in the National Museum of Art, PNCA, Islamabad. (Akbar Naqvi, Image and Identity: Fifty Years of Painting and Sculpture in Pakistan, 1998, p. 284, fig. 89)For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Maqbool Fida Husain (Indian, 1913-2011)Untitled (Horse) signed in Devanagiri lower left, executed circa early 1960soil on canvas56 x 40cm (22 1/16 x 15 3/4in).Footnotes:ProvenancePrivate Collection of George and Norma Dove-Edwin, UK; Purchased by the vendor's between 1966-1968 when they were stationed in India.CompareFor a similar work sold in these rooms, see Islamic and Indian Art including Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art, London, 23rd October 2017, lot 309.George Dove-Edwin (1928-2009) was a Nigerian Diplomat, in the country's post-independence years; Nigeria gained independence on 1st October 1960. He was well known in Britain, having served as the high commissioner in the UK from 1986-1992, the longest tenure of any Nigerian ambassador. He improved relations between the two nations whilst protecting national and African interests. Prior to his term in the UK, he was in the Nigerian foreign service, and he was posted in Washington, Egypt, India, Japan, Sweden and France. It was during his travels to these countries that he acquired art works from the local art scene, and it was in the course of his 2 year stay in India between 1966-1968 that he purchased the present lot, the Husain horse. The horse has been one of the key elements in Husain's oeuvre since he first depicted the animal in 1951. The inspiration for his horses came from various sources, some of which include the classical and folk tradition of the Panchtantra and Jataka tales, Indian sculpture, pre-historic rock paintings, the iconic Duldul, Imam Husain's horse in the battle of Karbala and the Bankura horse of West Bengal. The horse in the present lot, clearly shows the influence of the traditional Bankura horse, with its distinctive elongated and erect neck, and raised ears. The blues deployed in the background and to create the almost translucent figure accentuates the white of the horse, drawing the viewers attention to the horse, the protagonist of the painting.This work dates from the 60s, which was one of the most bellicose decades in the history of modern India. In several works executed in the late 1960s/early 1970s Husain's horses reflect the mood of aggression and violence felt throughout the country. The depiction of this horse is entirely in line with those other works and is infused with the same feeling of aggression and anger. The horse can also be viewed as a victim of the violence and this is evident in the present lot as the nude blue figure is piercing the horse. For works of a similar style dating from the same period, which can be found in the collections of Brian Brown, a Private Collection and the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi, see K. Bikram Singh, Maqbool Fida Husain, New Delhi, 2008, pp.172-184, figures 147, 150 and 160.'Like his bulls, spiders and lamps on women's thighs, boastful snakes and blackly passionate suns, Husain's horses are subterranean creatures. Their nature is not intellectualized; it is rendered as sensation or as abstract movement, with a capacity to stir up vague premonitions and passions, in a mixture of ritualistic fear and exultant anguish.' (R. Bartholomew and S. Kapur, Husain, Harry N. Abrams, New York, 1972, p. 42)For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Yusuf Arakkal (Indian, 1945-2016)The Epiphany signed lower leftoil on canvas61.8 x 62.2cm (24 5/16 x 24 1/2in).Footnotes:ProvenanceAcquired from the Birla Art Academy, Mumbai in 2004.Yusuf Arakkal was born in Chavkkad, Kerala. He studied at the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat where he obtained his Diploma in painting in 1973. He subsequently enrolled at the National Academy in Garhi, Delhi and specialized in graphic print making. His works often set against oppressive backgrounds, aim to highlight the plight of ordinary people, who are neglected by society, as illustrated in this lot. He employs sombre shades and the textures of his canvases are reminiscent of peeling and cracked walls, a metaphor for the helpless in society. Arakkal has been featured in solo and group shows held in France, Singapore, New York, London, Japan, Brazil and Hong Kong and received the Lalit Kala Akademi Award in 1979 and in 1981, the Shiromani Kala Puruskar from the Government of India in 1983, and the award of the Third Asian Art Biennale, Dhaka, Bangladesh in 1986.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Northern Qi, 6th-7th century A.D. An Uddiyana style Buddha modelled in the round standing, wearing an ankle-length robe with u-shaped folds running down the centre, hair covering ushnisha, elongated earlobes and delicate facial features; relic chamber to reverse; mounted on a wooden display base. 1.4 kg total, 33 cm high including stand (13 in). Acquired 1960s to early 1970s. ‘Buckingham Collection’, the late Nik Douglas (1944-2012), renowned author, curator and Asian art expert. Accompanied by a copy of the relevant ‘Out of Uddiyana’ exhibition catalogue pages including an image of this lot featured in one of the display cases (p.176 & p.177): Exhibition catalogue cat.no.UD-34, p.31 & TB023, p.167. Accompanied by a copy of Nik Douglas's collection cataloguing document, three pages of collectors illustrations and notes with price (US$70,000). This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by AIAD certificate no.11211-188545. [No Reserve] [A video of this lot is available to view on Timeline Auctions Website] Fine condition, repair to neck.
c.6th century A.D. A Bodhisattva figure modelled in the round crowned and standing, right hand raised with palm facing outwards, left hand extended by side, holding one end of sash, stylised anatomical and facial detailing with urna between eyes, detailing to crown, sash and dhoti, held in place by a jewel, wearing matching floral pendant and bangles; pierced lug to reverse; mounted on a wooden display base. 664 grams total, 22.2 cm including stand (8 3/4 in). Ex Sherrier or Lindahl by repute. Acquired 1968. Spinks, London, UK. ‘Buckingham Collection’, the late Nik Douglas (1944-2012), renowned author, curator and Asian art expert. Accompanied by a copy of the relevant ‘Out of Uddiyana’ exhibition catalogue pages including an image of this lot featured in one of the display cases (p.176): Exhibition catalogue cat.no.GMB057, p.142. Accompanied by a copy of Nik Douglas's collection cataloguing document, four pages of collectors illustrations and notes with price (US$32,000). This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by AIAD certificate no.11215-188546. [No Reserve] [A video of this lot is available to view on Timeline Auctions Website] Fine condition.
c.2nd century A.D. A bronze Uddiyana Buddha modelled in the round seated on a lotus flower, hands held in a teaching mudra, with detailing to the hair, face, garments and floral base. 520 grams, 13.5 cm high (5 1/4 in). Acquired 1996. Dr. Paul Singer, New Jersey, USA. ‘Buckingham Collection’, the late Nik Douglas (1944-2012), renowned author, curator and Asian art expert. Accompanied by a copy of Nik Douglas's collection cataloguing document, two pages of collectors illustrations and notes with price (US$43,000). This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by AIAD certificate no.11220-188547. [No Reserve] [A video of this lot is available to view on Timeline Auctions Website] Fine condition.
5th-10th century A.D. A statuette modelled in the round as Buddha seated in padmasana, hair covering ushnisha, stylised facial features, silver inlaid eyes, elongated earlobes, garment with folds and voluminous sleeves; hollow-formed. 310 grams, 10 cm high (4 in). Acquired 1960s to early 1970s. ‘Buckingham Collection’, the late Nik Douglas (1944-2012), renowned author, curator and Asian art expert. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by AIAD certificate no.11223-188550. [No Reserve] [A video of this lot is available to view on Timeline Auctions Website] Fine condition.
c.5th century A.D. A bronze stele with trefoil body, mounted on a four-legged base, Uddiyana-style Buddha standing at the centre, Bodhisattvas to each side; after the Gandharan style. 1.04 kg, 23.8 cm high (9 3/8 in). Acquired 1960s to early 1970s. ‘Buckingham Collection’, the late Nik Douglas (1944-2012), renowned author, curator and Asian art expert. Accompanied by a copy of the relevant ‘Out of Uddiyana’ exhibition catalogue pages including an image of this lot featured in one of the display cases (p.176): Exhibition catalogue cat.no.UD-28, p.30 & TB012, p.162. Accompanied by a copy of Nik Douglas's collection cataloguing document, three pages of collectors illustrations and notes with price (US$30,000). This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by AIAD certificate no.11219-188544. [No Reserve] [A video of this lot is available to view on Timeline Auctions Website] Fair condition.
Han Dynasty, 206 B.C.-220 A.D. A copper-alloy pilgrim's flask with 'heart-shaped' moulding to both faces, splayed base, narrow cylindrical neck, domed lid with floral motif and suspension ring, animal masks and rings to shoulders. 1.6 kg, 23 cm high (9 in). Bonham's, Fine Asian Art, sale 14758, 14 May 2007, lot 111. Property of a London gentleman. Fine condition.
19th century A.D. or earlier. A carved rock crystal tiered model stupa with sheet gold fittings; the crystal segments with circumferential recesses to accept gold wire inserts, the applied floral motifs with filigree and granulation detailing, repoussé geometric ornament; base with rectangular plaques depicting a repoussé facing Buddha. 3.1 kg total, 21.5 cm high (8 1/2 in). Acquired 1979. Private Asian collection, Japan. ‘Buckingham Collection’, the late Nik Douglas (1944-2012), renowned author, curator and Asian art expert. Accompanied by a copy of Nik Douglas's collection cataloguing document, thee pages of collectors illustrations and notes with price (US$160,000). Accompanied by Scholarly Note TL 05430 by Dr Ronald Bonewitz. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by AIAD certificate no.11210-188548. [No Reserve] [A video of this lot is available to view on Timeline Auctions Website] Fine condition; finial absent.
4th-2nd century B.C. A bronze statuette of a priestess modelled in the half-round, wearing a loosely draped sleeveless tunic, fastened at the shoulders to form a V-shaped neckline, girdled high under the breasts; her head adorned by a tall three-point diadem, with a large patera in left hand and pyxis in right hand; accompanied by a custom-made display stand. See Brendel, Etruscan Art, p.422, for parallels in the mid second century terracotta sarcophagus of Seianti Thanunia Tlesnasa from Chiusi, now in the British Museum; the diadem in her hair shares similar three-point attributes to the exaggerated diadem on our statuette; the dress is Greek with the tunic (chiton) characteristic of Etruscan and Latin votive bronzes at the same time; see parallel from the Museo archeologico di Verona, Inv. A4,376, published as no.37 in Franzoni, Bronzetti etruschi e italici del museo archeologico di Verona, p.56; this complete example at 7.5cm is of interest as it has a distinct fold across the dress that corresponds to the break on this example; Franzoni notes a bronze from Chiusi of similar type (referenced in St. Etr. XXV, 1957, p.503, fig. 25). 46 grams, 67 mm (121 grams total, 11.3 cm including stand) (2 1/2 in. (4 1/2 in). Estate of American sculptor, Eleanor Mary Mellon (1894–1979), New York, USA. Myers Fine Art & Antiques, Florida, European & Asian Antiques & Fine Art Auction, on 10 February 2013. Ancient Resource, California, USA, July 2014, item 2147. Private Australian collection. Accompanied by an illustrated two page collector's cataloguing document. Accompanied by a copy of a certificate of authenticity from Gabriel Vandervort of Ancient Resources and a copy of the Myers listing. The patera is a sacrificial saucer-shaped vessel for pouring a libation to the gods or for receiving a libation; the pyxis a cylindrical box for incense with separate lid and somewhat concave walls. For a larger (25.4 cm), highly detailed statuette of this type, including the attributes in her hands, see the second century B.C. statuette in the British Museum that was acquired in 1913 said to be from the Sanctuary of Diana at Nemi (BM No. 1913,0529.1). This type takes many forms; for example, see complete example with a radiant stephane (10.16 cm high) in the British Museum donated by Canon Luc Angelo Bracci in 1856 and said to be from Orvieto (museum number 1856,0815.3; Walters, Catalogue of the Bronzes in the British Museum. Greek, Roman & Etruscan, no.693). Variants include the himation draped towards the other direction: refer Turfa, J. M. and Muskett, G., Catalogue of Etruscan Objects in World Museum, Liverpool (No. B 104, Inv.M8833, p.103). For this specific lot, 5% import VAT is applicable on the hammer price Fine condition.
Various Toys and Models by Dinky Corgi Britains Metal Cannons and Asian metal Tram, Dinky Toys Police white and orange Ford Transit Van with two Bollards, Corgi blue Model T, Holmes Wrecker Truck (lacks Jibs and chains), BOAC Concorde on base (lacks rear wheels), Asian Art Lisbon Tram, Britains London three figure Souvenir Set, in original card plinth, Brass Cannon 30cm long, Brass and Wood Cannon 21cm Long, unbranded metal and plastic miniature cap rifle 18cm long, F-VG (9)
THREE SOUTHEAST ASIAN BRONZE FIGURES 18TH CENTURY AND LATER Two of Buddha, seated in dhyanasana on stepped bases, holding their left hands in dhyana mudra whilst extending their right hands towards the ground in bhumisparsha mudra, with tightly curled hair with ushnisha, the third, a standing monk dressed in a flowing cape, with his hands holding an alms bowl, attached to a wood base, 1kg, 833g, 391g and 22cm max. (3) Provenance: from the collection of the late Michael Sherrard QC CBE (1928-2012); the figure of the monk acquired on 18th April 1977, from Peng Seng Works of Art, Thailand, a copy of the invoice is available.
A Rare Tiffany & Co. Mokume and Partial Gilt Silver Demitasse Cup and Saucer from the Collection of Mary Jane Morgan, New York, circa 1878Marks to both: TIFFANY & CO., 5041 M 3124, STERLING SILVER, AND, OTHER METALS2 inches (5.1cm) (cup height)3-3/4 inches (9.5 cm) (saucer diameter)158 grams (gross)PROVENANCE:Mary Jane Morgan;Her sale, Thomas E. Kirby via the American Art Galleries at New York's Chickering Hall, 1886; Lot 749 (in part)Private Swiss collection;Acquired from the above. LITERATURE:American Art Association, Priced Catalog of the Art Collection Formed by the Late Mrs. Mary J. Morgan, 1886, pp. 143.The demitasse cup and saucer with mokume technique to rim of saucer and exterior of lobed cup having gilt interior, each bearing the distinct monogram of Mary Jane Morgan to underside. This example was sold in 1886 as part of a lot of twelve cups and saucers in the sale of Mary Jane Morgan's estate. Tiffany mokume is rare, and it is even rarer to have a piece with traceable provenance from a great American art collection. Mary Jane Sexton Morgan (1823-1885) was the daughter of Francis Sexton, a New York City Merchant involved East Indian trade. She married shipping, railroad and iron magnate Charles Morgan (1795–1878) in 1851 and inherited $9 million upon his death in 1878. Mary Jane Morgan used this sizable inheritance to fund an ambitious and seemingly unending quest to assemble a world-class art collection. Her voracity for collecting was perhaps only matched by her cousin-in-law, J. Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913).When Mary Jane Morgan died in 1885, the press reported that "the house of the late Mrs. Morgan is literally honeycombed with secret closets and drawers filled with works of art of the most varied kind. Since the first inventory was made there have been several supplements. Now the total value is put down at something like four million dollars." (Town Topics, November 1885)Her estate was sold over three days at no reserve and was attended by notable collectors and society members like Charles L. Tiffany, William Walters, Henry G. Marquand, Henry O. Havemeyer, Mrs. Collis P. Huntington, and Mrs. Ogden Goelet. The multi-category sale was comprised of but not limited to Asian ceramics and bronzes, silver, fine European porcelains, glassware, paintings, sculpture, etchings, and books. According to the auction catalog, most of the 154 lots of silver, "with few exceptions made to order by Messrs Tiffany & Co." Mary Jane Morgan was one of Tiffany's most loyal clients during the late 19th century and she favored the firm's creative Japonesque pieces. She was particularly fond of mixed-metal and mokume, which represented some of Tiffany's most labor intensive, rare, and beautiful objects the firm ever produced. The present lot is described on page 143 of her auction catalog as part of lot 749:"AFTER-DINNER COFFEE CUPS AND SAUCERS, "Moku-me" or "Veins of the wood" design, 18 pieces"Though the company cataloged its mokume works as "mixed metal" in company inventories, our understanding of the craft extends beyond the simple inclusion of differing metals. To craft mokume, meaning "wood grain" or, literally, "wood eye" in Japanese, artisans laminated thin sheets of differently colored metals and alloys, folded them to increase the number of layers, cut through or bent, and, finally, hammered to produce marbleized patterns.The present lot exhibits a shimmering kaleidoscope of silver, gold, copper, and alloy laminations. The labor-intensive nature of the process meant that few pieces were created by Tiffany with this technique covering the entire body of the piece. Most commonly, Tiffany included mokume as a decorative accent, found on some applied insects or small handheld works. The extensive mokume decoration to the present lot emphasizes its special commission to a wealthy client.While the form of the saucer is of traditional shape, the cup derives its lobed "squat" design from ancient Persian and Turkish vessels. These design elements allude that the present lot was likely designed directly by Edward C. Moore, Tiffany's chief designer from 1873-1891. At the time of the present lot's creation, Tiffany & Co. drafted the shapes of hollowware separately from ornamentation. Moore was innovative and wildly creative, drawing design inspiration from Tiffany's Oriental archive collected by Dresser and from his own extensive personal collection of objects. His exploration outside of Western design can be seen in his adoption of Islamic and far-Eastern forms in hollowware as early as 1867. A pear-shaped "Moresque" tea and coffee service was exhibited at the 1867 Paris Exposition Universelle where he won a gold medal for silverware. Moore almost certainly would have been personally involved in this important commission from one of Tiffany's most loyal and high-profile customers in the late 19th century. Moore's vast and pioneering collection of more than 2,000 objects and 500 volumes was donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art upon his death in 1891 and remains one of the institution's most important bequests.Artwork from Mary Jane Morgan's collection can be found in notable museums and private collections across the country including the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), the National Gallery of Art (Washington DC), The Walters Art Museum (Baltimore), Museum of Fine Arts (Boston), and Art Institute of Chicago. HID12701242017
PLEASE NOTE HIS LOT IS NOW TO BE OFFERED WITHOUT RESERVE. A CHINESE GANZHOU 'RICE MEASURE' JAR SONG/YUAN DYNASTY With a slightly tapering globular body surmounted by a rolled rim, the unglazed exterior decorated with concentric arcs, the neck with a band of cream glazed studs, the interior covered with a dark brown glaze, 11.8cm wide. Provenance: an English private collection, Surrey, UK; sold on behalf of Parkinson's UK. Cf. The Museum of East Asian Art, Bath England, Volume I, Chinese Ceramics, no.127 for a closely related jar.
A JAPANESE ARITA MODEL OF A LEAPING CARP EDO PERIOD, C.1710 The large fish with its body contorted and its mouth open, the moulded scales with washes of cobalt blue and further details accentuated in red paint, raised on a square base, 29.8cm. Provenance: from the collection of George and Cornelia Wingfield Digby and thence by descent. George and Cornelia Wingfield Digby started buying Chinese and Japanese art, notably porcelain, in the early 1950s. George Wingfield Digby (1911-1989) joined the Victoria & Albert Museum's Textile Department in 1934 and later served as Keeper between 1947 and 1972. He considerably expanded the V&A's textile collection and wrote three books on the subject. He also released three further publications on different fields of art, including The Work of the Modern Potter in England (1952), which he wrote with his wife Cornelia. In addition to their extensive Asian Art collection, they also acquired a significant number of studio pottery pieces which were lent to the Tate, St Ives in 1993. After retiring, they settled in Dorset and part of their Chinese and Japanese art collection was exhibited at Sherborne Castle for 25 years. Cf. M Cohen and W Motley, Mandarin and Menagerie, Chinese and Japanese export ceramics figures, pp.134-5 no.8.1, for two comparable leaping carp.
Qingbai-glasierte Schüssel mit graviertem Entenrelief, südliche Song-Dynastie Im Spiegel fein eingraviert ein Paar Enten in einem Lotusblütenteich. Die innere Wandung mit graviertem Punktband, darüber geometrisches Ornamentband. Der Rand typischerweise unglasiert. Die glasierte Außenseite undekoriert. Sehr flacher Fußring. Exzellenter Zustand! Keine Risse oder Chips! Intakt. Durchmesser 15,5 cm. Höhe 3,3 cm. Provenienz: Privatsammlung München.Zustand: II +A superb Qingbai glazed bowl with incised ducks, southern Song Dynasty The mirror finely engraved with a pair of ducks in a lotus blossom pond. The inner wall with engraved dot band, above it geometric ornamental band. The rim typically unglazed. The glazed exterior undecorated. Very flat foot ring. No cracks or chips! Intact. Diameter 15.5 cm. Height 3.3 cm. A bowl with rare motive in excellent condition from an old German private collection! Provenance: Private collection of Professor R., Munich. Previously in the Chinese ceramics collection of Dr. Friedrich Hesse in Dresden, auctioned 1940-10-18 at W. Lange Auction House (Berlin). On display in the exhibition "Chinesische Kunst" (Chinese Art), Society for Eastern Asian Art and Prussian Academy of Art, Berlin 1929.Condition: II +
Ca. 200-300 AD A remarkable example of Kushan artistry, richly carved in grey schist, combining naturalism of the classical Greek style with the Asian serenity of Buddhist art. The head is finely shaped, the nose in aquiline, an elaborate coiffure that radiates from the top of the head and is fashioned in a loosely parted topknot. The hair is stylised in such a way as to accentuate his princely status. The gemstone adornment that crowns the centre of the diadem, symbolize the Bodhisattva’s earthly return in the service of the enlightenment of all sentient beings. The heavy-lidded eyes similarly convey the contemplative serenity one associates with Buddhist imagery, while a narrow moustache grows outward from above the subtly curved upper lip just above a handsomely shaped chin. The forehead is centred by a raised urna. Size: L:300mm / W:190mm ; 10.3kg. Provenance: Property of a London Ancient Art gallery; formerly with H.G. private UK collection; acquired in Japan before 2003; previously in a Japanese collection since the 1960s.
Ca. 618-906 AD A very attractive and dynamic figure of terracotta Chinese Polo Rider. The lady is depicted on a galloping horse with detailed facial features and a nicely arranged mane. She leans forward in loose, red clothing with full sleeves; hair carefully dressed, hands raised, cheeks and lips highlighted. Pair with Lot 475. This piece has been precisely dated having undergone Thermo Luminescence analysis by Ralf Kotalla, an independent German Laboratory. The samples collected date the piece to the period reflected in its style, whilst also showing no modern trace elements. Its TL certificate with the full report will also accompany this lot. Size: L:80mm / W:145mm ; 415g Provenance: Private London collection of Asian Art; formerly with Robert Ungar, Parthnon Gallery. Acquired in 2015. Formerly in 1990s UK collection.
Ca. 618-906 AD A breathtakingly beautiful terracotta polo rider depicted sitting on a galloping horse. The figure's face is sensitively painted with elaborate details, elongated eyes, pointed nose, and crisply carved mouths painted in red. The figure is depicted wearing an elaborate coiffure which is drawn into a loose loop that hangs slightly forwards. The hands raised to grasp the polo stick that it would have held. The hollow-molded horse features well-defined ears, eyes, nose, and nostrils. The eyes, saddles, and trappings have been added in black pigment. The horse extends his legs in a dynamic pose in mid-air to give the illusion of the action of a polo game. The original pigmentation survives largely intact. Decorated in a red pigment, the terracotta-coloured saddle and cloth are still prominent. Pair with Lot 474. This piece has been precisely dated by means of a Thermo Luminescence analysis carried out by Ralf Kotalla, an independent German Laboratory. The samples collected date the piece to the period reflected in its style, whilst also showing no modern trace elements. The TL certificate with its full report will accompany this lot. Size: L:84mm / W:110mm ; 415g Provenance: Private London collection of Asian Art; formerly with Robert Ungar, Parthnon Gallery. Acquired in 2015. Formerly in 1990s UK collection.
Dinh Thi Tham Poong (Vietnamese, b.1970)Poong’s painting, 2010signed 'Poong 2010' l.l., watercolour and gold on handmade paper78 x 107cm Born in 1970 in Lai Chau, Vietnam, Dinh Thi Tham Poong's paintings are heavily influenced by her Muong heritage. Her detailed watercolours use surreal elements to depict the relationship between humans and the natural world - 'To my mind everything has two distinct halves. Everything contains, holds each other, is intertwined with each other'. She has received a number of awards throughout her career and her works are held in many international collections, including the Singapore Art Museum, the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum in Japan, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, USA. The artist currently lives and works in Hanoi, Vietnam.Frame overall 97 x 125cm. Framed, not viewed out of glazed frame, loosely stuck down to the backboard, generally appears to be in good condition. Paper a bit cockled with creases possibly from being rolled up previously, uneven edges.
INK PAINTING OF PEONIES ATTRIBUTED TO EMPRESS DOWAGER CIXI (1835-1908) 慈禧款 牡丹圖 設色絹本 木框 款識: 乙未春正月 慈禧御筆 鈐印: 慈禧皇太后御筆之寶 ink and colour on silk, signed empress Dowager Cixi, inscribed with the year of Yi Wei, corresponding to 1895 AD, further mounted on textile and to a wooden board, in gilt frames(90cm x 40.5cm)Provenance: Private London collection; formerly in a property from a West Cornwall Connecticut and Former New Orleans Louisiana Asian Art Collection.
LARGE COLLECTION OF ASIAN ART AUCTION CATALOGUES, CHRISTIE'S & SOTHEBY'S 1980-1990 一九八零年代至九零年 蘇富比及佳士得亞洲藝術拍賣圖錄（一百零五刊） comprising 105 issues in total; 73 from Sotheby's ranging from years 1980-1990; remaining 32 Christie's from 1984-1989, both for sales in London, New York and Hong KongProvenance: from an important Scottish collection
FIVE REFERENCE BOOKS ON ASIAN AND CHINESE ART TO INCLUDE: The Art of East Asia, Edited by Gabriele Fahr-Becker, Könemann, 1999; The Golden Age of Chinese Archaeology: Celebrated Discoveries From The People's Republic of China, Edited by Xiaoneng Yang, Yale University Press, 1999; Chinese Ceramics: The New Standard Guide by He Li, Thames & Hudson, 1996; Historical Relics Unearthed In New China, Foreign Languages Press, Peking, 1972; The Chinese Bronzes of Yunnan, Published by Sidgwick & Jackson Limited, London, in association with Cultural Relics Publishing House, Beijing, 1983 (5)From the private Essex collection (Lots 201-250)
QUANTITY OF BOOKS ON MAINLY CHINESE ART. Fifteen total to include Volumes I and II Inaugural Exhibition The Museum of East Asian Art, Bath England. The Treasures of The World, The Emperors of China by Christopher Hibbert. Ancient Chinese Art, The Ernest Erickson Collection etc. (15)From the private Essex collection (Lots 201-250)
ZHAOLING, FANG (1914 - 2006). PORTFOLIO. HONG KONG: Hong Kong University Press, 1983. First Edition. ISBN: 9622090575. In the publisher's original shipping box. (47 x 29cm). Card wraps.Features 75 reproductions of works by Zhaoling, dating from 1960 through to 1982, in a variety of mediums, many of them with her calligraphy. Born in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, she had an early interest in calligraphy. Her works are held by major museums and galleries, including the British Museum, V&A Museum, London, the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, National Galleries Scotland and Hong Kong Museum of Art, as well as museums across China.Some light wear, minor marks to covers.
A RARE PALE GREEN JADE 'TWIN-FISH' WASHERQianlongExquisitely carved around the exterior with archaistic motifs, with tall flaring sides rising to a lipped rim incised with a geometric-pattern band, after Western Zhou dynasty bronze prototypes, supported on four ruyi feet, the interior carved in high relief with a pair of fish in mirror image, the stone of pale green tone with dark-brown patches. 17cm (6 3/4in) diam.Footnotes:清乾隆 玉雕雙魚洗Provenance: Christie's London, 8 April 1981, lot 237James Basil Wilson and Julia Wilson, and thence by descentIn 1945, James Basil Wilson returned from The Second World War having served with the Gurkhas. He married Julia Burke in 1949 and they moved to London. James started working for Iron and Steel Exporters and later that year, he was offered the chance to set up an office Hong Kong, so they moved there and set up home. The business was successful, they loved Hong Kong and they lived the life of ex-patriates to the full. They swam, played golf, made friends and indulged their passion for fast cars, competing in amateur road races. Julia claimed to have won at the first Macau Grand Prix. As well as enjoying the pastimes of the culture they brought with them, they developed an enduring love for China, Chinese people, Chinese food and Chinese art. With a growing family, they returned to England in 1957. They brought with them the pieces they had bought in Hong Kong and James made many trips to Hong Kong and continued to build their collection throughout the following decades mainly from dealers in London.來源：倫敦佳士得，1981年4月8日，拍品編號237James Basil Wilson與Julia Wilson伉儷舊藏，並由後人保存迄今James Basil Wilson二戰期間曾於廓爾喀軍團服役，1945年返回英國。 1949年與Julia Burke結婚，婚後搬至倫敦，並開始為Iron and Steel Exporters效力，同年被委任籌備香港辦事處，遂移居香港。事業發展蒸蒸日上的同時，Wilson伉儷也充分享受著外派人士的理想生活；游泳、打高爾夫、結交朋友，沉迷賽車運動甚至參加業餘車手街道賽，Julia聲稱曾完賽首屆澳門格蘭披治大賽車。在保留西方生活方式的同時，Wilson伉儷也對中國及其民眾、美食和藝術產生了長久的熱情。 1957年，隨著家庭的不斷壯大，Wilson一家回到英國，並帶回了其在香港購置的藝術品。此後，James多次前往香港，並在接下來的幾十年中持續造訪倫敦的古董商，擴充藏品。The twin-fish symbol is considered as one of the most auspicious motifs of the Eight Buddhist Emblems, bajixiang, representing freedom from restraint as well as the wish for marital bliss, prosperity and an abundance of good luck. As fish are reputed to swim in pairs and are known for their reproductive powers, the double-fish also signifies the joys of union and numerous offspring.The Qianlong emperor favoured forms and designs inspired by antiquity. The archaistic designs on the present bowl were inspired by archaic Zhou dynasty bronze ritual food vessels, and the design of fish can be seen on Eastern Zhou dynasty bronze pan vessels, with twin-fish appearing more frequently from the Song dynasty onwards. Compare with a larger pale green jade twin-fish basin, dated 1786, with similar fish design, illustrated by M.Knight, He Li, and T.Tse Bartholomew, Later Chinese Jades: Ming Dynasty to Early Twentieth Century from the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, San Francisco, 2007, p.180, pl.181; see also two larger jade twin-fish basins carved with double fish in mirror image, Qianlong, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated by Chang Li-tuan, The Refined Taste of the Emperor: Special Exhibition of Archaic and Pictorial Jades of the Ch'ing Court, Taipei, 1997, pls.7 and 9.See an Imperially-inscribled pale green jade 'twin-fish' washer, Qianlong mark and period, which was sold at Christie's New York, 20 March 2019, lot 806.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
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