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![[WHITE METAL]. FIVE 1/43 SCALE MODEL CARS comprising a Western Models No.WMS2, 1937 Lagonda 4 1/2 Litre Rapide, slate blue (](https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com/bf69039a-a51c-4a89-8cfa-ae1b00eac540/640e2692-92af-429b-99bc-ae4e00a5bcf6/468x382.jpg)
Lot 777
[WHITE METAL]. FIVE 1/43 SCALE MODEL CARS comprising a Western Models No.WMS2, 1937 Lagonda 4 1/2 Litre Rapide, slate blue (one horn detached), boxed; Mikansue Grand Tourisme No.20, Aston Martin DB1, white (windscreen detached and slightly bent), boxed; K. & R. Replicas No.KR40, 1969-70 Austin Healey Sprite Mk IV, red (windscreen with one side-screen detached), boxed; Abingdon Classics M.G. TD Midget, bronze (static model) (windscreen bent), unboxed; and Abingdon Classics M.G. TC Midget, maroon, unboxed.
Lot 285
A Georgian wine glass with double series opaque twist stem, together with assorted 19th century snuff boxes, including Penwork and Vernis Martin examples, Meerschaum pipes, Victorian crocodile skin wallet, unframed samplers, African bronze staff terminal, etc (one tray)Condition report: The wine glass, the foot has been trimmed, Penwork snuffbox with a crack to the lid and numerous surface marks, the Vernis Martin snuff box, with a rim chip to the cover and numerous edge chips, Burwood snuffbox with a crack to the hinge, both pipes with damage to the stems and cases, the wallet with noticeable patches of wear to the crocodile skin, two commemorative mugs, crazed and with chips, other general wear throughout
Lot 320
A Chinese white soapstone carving of a bridge with figures crossing and surrounded by pine trees, together with a Japanese bronze tea kettle, a Chinese archaistic style bronze censor, and a boxed modern Chinese glass scent bottle painted inside out with a mandarin duck in a river landscape (one tray)
Lot 601
A LARGE BRONZE FIGURE OF RAMA, VIJAYANAGAR PERIODSouthern India, 16th-17th century. Heavily cast, standing in tribhanga, wearing a diaphanous dhoti and richly adorned with sacred thread and beaded, floral, and pendent jewelry, his quiver hanging from his right shoulder. The powerful face with large almond-shaped eyes, a broad nose, and full lips, surmounted by a conical headdress, and backed by a shirashchakra.Provenance: UK trade, by repute acquired from an English private collection. Condition: The figure is in fine condition with some old wear, the bow and arrow lost, small nicks, dents and losses, light scratches, the foot rim smoothened. Fine, naturally grown patina.Weight: 4,660 g (the figure) and 231.5 g (the base)Dimensions: Height 29 cm (excl. base) and 31.8 cm (incl. base)With a cast-bronze octagonal footed base incised with a central lotus flower encircled by a band of petals, most likely dating from the same period or slightly later. (2)Literature comparison: Compare a related bronze figure of Rama, 22.3 cm high, dated to the 14th century, in the Ashmolean Museum Oxford, accession number EA2013.98.a.Auction result comparison: Compare a closely related figure of Rama, 24.1 cm high, also dated 16th-17th century, at Sotheby's New York in Indian, Himalayan & Southeast Asian Works of Art on 22 March 2018, lot 1019, sold for USD 13,750.
Lot 395
A SILVERED AND PARCEL-GILT BRONZE BUST OF AVALOKITESHVARAWestern Tibet, 14th-15th century. Finely cast with a sash around his torso and adorned with beaded jewelry, the necklace and an earring inlaid with turquoise glass paste. The serene face with heavy-lidded almond-shaped eyes below gently arched eyebrows centered by a gilt urna, flanked by elongated earlobes, the hair in fine rows surmounted by a crown centered by a small image of Buddha Amitabha.Provenance: Property of the Museum fuer Asiatische Kunst, Radevormwald, Germany. The private museum was founded by Peter Hardt, a notable German expert, collector and dealer for Asian art. During his long career, which spanned more than 35 years, Hardt built a substantial collection that is now housed in the museum.Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Extensive wear and losses. Small nicks, light scratches, some dents and cracks. Parts of the crown are bent. The figure was once parcel-gilt, with only minute traces of the gilding remaining in some recesses. Fine, naturally grown, dark patina. Remnants of ancient pigment.Weight: 507.7 g (excl. stand)Dimensions: Height 16.5 cm (excl. stand) and 19.5 cm (incl. stand)Mounted on a modern metal stand. (2)Auction result comparison: Compare a closely related but considerably larger (34 cm high) Western Tibetan bronze bust of a bodhisattva, also dated 14th-15th century, at Christie's New York in Indian and Southeast Asian Art on 21 September 2007, lot 119, sold for USD 8,750.鍍銀鎏金銅觀音半身像 西藏，十四至十五世紀。半身像飾有瓔珞首飾、項鍊和鑲嵌有綠松石色玻璃的耳環。面容平靜，杏仁狀的大眼，微微拱起的眉毛，以鍍金白毫為中心，兩側是細長的耳垂。頭髮高束，頭戴上方是王冠，中間有一尊阿彌陀佛的小像。 來源：德國Radevormwald 亞洲藝術博物館藏品。這個私人博物館由Peter Hardt建立。Peter Hardt是一位德國知名亞洲藝術專家、收藏家及經銷商。在他長達三十五年多的漫長職業生涯中，Hardt建立了大型收藏，現在都在博物館中。 品相：品相良好，與年代相符。廣泛的磨損和缺損。小劃痕、一些凹痕和裂縫。王冠部分彎曲。銅像曾經鍍金，在一些凹處只剩下鍍金的微小痕跡。自然生長的深色包漿。古代顏料的殘餘。 重量：507.7 g (不含底座) 尺寸：高16.5 厘米 (不含底座) 與19.5 厘米 (含底座) 現代金屬底座。 (2) 拍賣結果比較：比較一件相近但更大 (高34 厘米)的西藏菩薩半身像，同樣為十四至十五世紀，見紐約佳士得Indian and Southeast Asian Art 2007年9月21日 lot 119, 售價USD 8,750。
Lot 354
A LARGE AND FINELY CAST RITUAL BRONZE WINE VESSEL, POU, SHANG DYNASTYChina, 12th-11th century BC. The compressed globular body rising from a tall splayed foot to a short tapering neck surmounted by a wide flaring mouth. The central band crisply cast with three taotie patterns each centered by a narrow flange, below a band of confronting kuilong divided by three imposing bovine masks cast in high relief. The foot with two pierced apertures above a band of kuilong, all against a leiwen ground.Provenance: Sotheby's New York, 7 December 1983, lot 49. A private collection in New York, USA, acquired from the above. Christie's New York, 4 June 1992, lot 179. Canadian private collection, acquired from the above. Sotheby's New York, 20 March 2002, lot 18. A noted collector, acquired from the above.Condition: Excellent condition, commensurate with age and presenting extraordinary well with >90% of the intricate design still sharp and crisp, something that is exceedingly rare on the present group of vessels. Minor nicks, dents and surface scratches. Encrustations. A faint short crack to the base. Minor areas of corrosion with associated losses and old fills as well as a single restoration to foot rim, circa 5x5 cm, all precisely visible on the X-ray images provided (are available upon request). Superb dark-green patina overall, naturally grown over millennia.Weight: 6.0 kgDimensions: Diameter 33 cm, Height 26 cmDistinguished by its large size and dignified form, the present pou is a magnificent example of bronze vessels created in the second half of the Shang dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BC). Inspired by ceramic prototypes from the Neolithic era, vessels of this type appeared in the Shang bronze casting repertory around the end of the Erligang phase (c. 1500-1300 BC). They were used as food and wine containers for ritual purposes, before disappearing by the beginning of the Western Zhou dynasty (c. 1046-771BC).Literature comparison: A closely related pou, 26 cm high, with similar cast decoration and similar large bovine masks cast in relief on the shoulder is illustrated by Robert W. Bagley, Shang Ritual Bronzes in the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, Washington D.C., 1987, page 334, no. 57. Also illustrated, page 337, fig. 57.3, is another closely related pou, 26.5 cm high, in the Musee Cernuschi, Paris. Another closely related pou, 26.2 cm high, is illustrated in Shang Ritual Bronzes, National Palace Museum Collection, Taipei, 1998, pages 388-389, no. 65.Auction result comparison: Compare a closely related pou, 27.9 cm high, also dated 12th-11th century BC, at Christie's New York, in Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, on 24 March 2011, lot 1239, sold for USD 1,022,500. Compare another closely related pou, 33.1 cm diameter, dated to the late Shang dynasty, with cast repair, at Sotheby's New York, in Important Chinese Art on 21 September 2021, lot 34, sold for USD 252,000.商代大型饕餮紋青銅瓿中國，公元前十二至十一世紀。饕餮紋青銅瓿，圓腹，斂口，圈足上有三個方形孔，流行於商早期至商晚期前段，為古代盛酒器。中央清晰可見三個饕餮紋，饕餮一對炯炯有神、不怒自威的巨目；其下方是夔龍紋；整器以雷紋為地。 來源：紐約蘇富比 1983年12月7日 lot 49；紐約私人收藏，購於上述拍賣；紐約佳士得 1992年6月 4日 lot 179；加拿大私人收藏，購於上述拍賣；紐約蘇富比 2002年3月20日 lot 18；一位知名收藏家，購於上述拍賣。 品相：品相極佳，與年齡相稱，呈現出非凡的品質，其紋飾仍然清晰明快，這在目前的青銅酒器中極為罕見。輕微的劃痕、凹痕和結殼，底部有些微短裂縫。 局部受腐蝕區域帶有相關損失和舊填充物，腳緣處有修復，大約 5x5 厘米。請參考 X光圖像（請聯繫我們團隊）。整體上包漿良好。 重量：6.0 公斤 尺寸：直徑33 厘米，高26 厘米 本瓿以體型大、造型莊重而著稱，是商代下半葉（公元前 約1600-1046 年）青銅器皿的典範。受新石器時代陶瓷原型的啟發，這種器皿出現在二里崗期末期（約公元前 1500-1300 年），用作祭祀禮器，消失於西周初年（約公元前 1046-771 年）。 文獻比較: 一件相近的瓿，高 26 厘米，相似的紋飾，見Robert W. Bagley, Shang Ritual Bronzes in the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, Washington D.C., 1987, 第 334頁，圖 57；也可見第337頁，圖 57.3, 另一件瓿，高 26.5 厘米，巴黎Museé Cernuschi美術館；以及第三件瓿，高26.2 厘米，見臺北故宮博物院商代Shang Ritual Bronzes, 1998, 第388-389頁, 圖65。 拍賣結果比較：比較一件相近的瓿, 高27.9 厘米，公元前十二至十一世紀，見紐約佳士得Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art 2011年3月24 日 lot 1239, 售價USD 1,022,500；比較另一件相似瓿，直徑33.1 厘米，商代末期，有修補，見紐約蘇富比 Important Chinese Art 2021年9月21日 lot 34, 售價USD 252,000。
Lot 361
A PAIR OF GILT BRONZE 'MYTHICAL BEAST' WEIGHTS, EASTERN ZHOU TO WESTERN HANChina, 770 BC to 8 AD. Each finely cast as a mythical beast with muscular limbs, distinctly ribbed chest, funnel-shaped ears, prominent snout, and neatly incised mane and beard, one with an elegantly curved horn, the other with the mouth agape. (2)Provenance: Belgian market, by repute acquired from a local estate.Condition: Excellent condition, commensurate with age. Wear, casting flaws, rubbing to gilt, small nicks and dents, light scratches. Superb naturally grown patina, with a distinctive unctuous feel overall, resulting from centuries of extensive handling.Weight: 233 g and 229 gDimensions: Height 4.7 cm, Length 5.8 cm (each)Weights crafted from precious materials such as bronze and jade, and often gilded or inlaid with gold, silver, or gemstones, represent the pinnacle of craftsmanship during the Eastern Zhou and Western Han dynasties. Conceived as functional objects to hold down domestic furnishings, weights were produced in sets and were also interred for use in the afterlife.Literature comparison: Compare a gilt bronze weight in the form of three chilong, also dated Eastern Zhou to Western Han, in the collection of the Brooklyn Museum, accession number 1991.127.10. Compare a gilt bronze weight in the form of a ram, dated to the Han dynasty, in the collection of the Brooklyn Museum, accession number 1991.127.9. Compare a weight in the shape of a bixie, dated to the Han dynasty, in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 2019.217. 東周至西漢一對銅鎏金神獸鎮紙 中國，西元前770 至西元8 年。神獸屈足伏臥式，軀體豐滿壯碩，肌理分明。背脊略有起伏，耳朵呈漏斗狀，鼻子突出，鬃毛和鬍鬚整齊，角倒鉤拊於後顱。另一隻張著嘴。鎏金燦然，包漿古雅溫潤。來源：比利時古玩市場，據說來自於當地家族收藏。 品相: 品相極佳，與年代相稱。磨損、製造瑕疵、鎏金部分有磨擦痕跡，一些小刻痕、小凹痕，以及輕微的劃痕。重量：233克和229克 尺寸：高4.7厘米，寬各5.8厘米
Lot 363
A BRONZE 'ARCHAISTIC' SQUARE VESSEL, WANLI MARK AND PERIODChina, 1573-1619. The body supported on a spreading foot and rising to a long neck applied with two tubular handles reminiscent of arrow vases (touhu) and flaring toward the galleried rim. The body is cast to each side in low relief with a taotie mask against a key-fret ground, divided by flanges to the corners. The base cast with four-character mark Wanli nianzhi within a countersunk square reserve and of the period.Provenance: The Mee-Din and Robert W. Moore Collection. Robert W. Moore is a famed California collector of Chinese and Korean art, whose passion began in the 1950s when he served in the US Army and was stationed in Korea. After his return to the United States, he began collecting Korean and later also Chinese works of art, and over the following decades became a very knowledgeable, discerning, and influential collector.Condition: Good condition with old wear and minor casting flaws, including minor losses. Few minuscule nicks, occasional light scratches, small dents. Fine, naturally grown, golden-brown patina.Weight: 2,724 gDimensions: Height 29.5 cmThe neck similarly cast in high relief with taotie and flanges above pendent stiff leaves with taotie masks against a key-fret ground, above bands of spiral bosses in high relief. The foot with stylized taotie masks formed by scrolling designs.With a later Japanese bronze lining for floral arrangements and with a Japanese wood storage box. (2)Auction result comparison: Compare a closely related fang gu vase, dated 15th-16th century, of related form and with similar designs, also with Japanese bronze lining and Japanese wood storage box, at Christie's Hong Kong in Leisurely Delights on 29 May 2019, lot 2952, sold for HKD 112,500.萬曆款及年代青銅仿古方觚中國，1573-1619年。近似於方柱形，口、足外撇，頸部兩側圓柱形雙耳，如投壺一般；中部呈方形，四面雷紋地飾獸面紋。底座可見“萬歷年製”四字。 來源：Mee-Din 與Robert W. Moore 中國收藏。Robert W. Moore是加州著名的中國和韓國藝術收藏家，他的收藏熱情始於 1950 年代。當時他在美國軍隊服役並駐紮在韓國。回到美國後，他開始收藏韓國和中國的藝術品，在之後幾十年裡，他成為了一位知識淵博、眼光敏銳、影響深遠的收藏家。 品相：狀況良好，有舊磨損和輕微鑄造瑕疵，輕微缺損。 少量細小的刻痕、劃痕和小凹痕。自然生長且細膩的金棕色包漿。 重量：2,724 克 尺寸：高 29.5 厘米 日本青銅襯墊，雕花木盒 (2) 拍賣結果比較：比較一件十五至十六世紀相似形狀和紋飾的方觚，也有一個相似的日本銅墊和木盒，見香港佳士得Leisurely Delights 2019年5月 29日 lot 2952, 售價HKD 112,500。
Lot 365
AN UNUSUAL 'ARCHAISTIC' BRONZE CENSER, 17TH-18TH CENTURY OR EARLIERChina. Of bombe form, supported on a short spreading foot, with an everted rim, the waisted neck set with a distinct pair of lion-head handles and a narrow band enclosing four archaistic birds on a leiwen ground, the foot with a leiwen band. The base is finely cast with a six-character mark da Ming Xuande nianzhi.Provenance: Collection of Ake Virgin, thence by descent. The base with an old paper label, 'Ming Hsuean-Te 1426-1435', and inscribed '79.'. Ake Virgin (1891-1978) was a Swedish civil engineer who took a keen interest in Chinese art, especially early bronzes, building a fine collection between the 1940s and 1970s. He was an active member of the Friends of the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities in Stockholm. Ake Virgin had numerous discussions with and took advice from notable Swedish academics such as Professor Bernhard Karlgren and Orvar Karlbeck.Condition: Very good condition with minor wear and casting flaws, few minuscule nicks and light scratches, fine dark patina.Expert's note: As Ake Virgin wrote on the paper label located on the base of this lot, it is indeed possible that this censer dates to 'Ming Hsuean-Te 1426-1435'. The small vessel is of such detailed yet elegant appearance, the bands are so neatly incised and closely executed after their archaic models, that there is a (very) distant chance that this belongs to a small group of 15th century pieces, after which the many later incense burners were made.Weight: 394.4 gDimensions: Diameter 11 cm (at the widest points) 十七至十八世紀或更早仿古鳥紋銅香爐 中國。爐呈簋式，撇口，束頸，鼓腹下收，承外撇圈足。頸部雲雷紋地飾鳥紋，兩側對稱置雙獅首為耳，足部雲雷紋。地足六字款“大明宣德年製“。 來源：Ake Virgin收藏, 保存至今。底部可見舊時紙標籤“Ming Hsuean-Te 1426-1435” 與“79”字樣。Ake Virgin (1891-1978) 是一位瑞典土木工程師，對中國藝術、尤其是對早期青銅器有著濃厚的興趣。他在1940 至 1970 年代間構建了自己的收藏。他是斯德哥爾摩東亞美術館舘友協會非常活躍的成員。 Ake Virgin 與著名的瑞典學者（如 Bernhard Karlgren 教授和 Orvar Karlbeck）進行了多次討論並聽取了他們的建議。 品相：狀況極好，有輕微磨損和鑄造瑕疵，有微小的刻痕和輕微的劃痕，細膩的深色包漿。 重量：394.4 克 尺寸：直徑11 厘米 (最寬處)
Lot 581
A RARE BRONZE FIGURE OF AVALOKITESHVARA, SRIVIJAYA PERIODIndonesia, Sumatra, 9th-11th century. Standing in samabhanga on a square base, his main right hand lowered in abhaya mudra and the main left held in karana mudra, the upper hands holding a malla and a sacred text. The serene face with heavy-lidded downcast eyes below arched brows, an urna and full lips forming a subtle smile. The hair in wavy locks pulled into a high chignon centered by a diminutive Amitabha Buddha.Provenance: A private collection in Jakarta, acquired prior to 1996. A diplomatic collection in Singapore, acquired from the above in Bali via a local art gallery.Condition: Excellent condition, commensurate with age. Extensive old wear, small losses, minor casting flaws, signs of weathering and erosion, small nicks and light scratches, few minuscule cracks. Fine, naturally grown patina with malachite encrustation.Weight: 2,647 g (excl. base) Dimensions: Height 29 cm (excl. base) and 33 cm (incl. base)With an old associated wood base. (2)Srivijaya was a Buddhist thalassocratic empire based on the island of Sumatra (in modern-day Indonesia), which influenced much of Southeast Asia and was an important center for the expansion of Buddhism from the 7th to the 12th century AD. It also was the first unified kingdom to dominate much of the Malay Archipelago. Due to its location, the powerful state over time developed more and more complex technology utilizing maritime resources. The rise of the Srivijayan Empire was therefore also parallel to the end of the Malay sea-faring period.Literature comparison: For a closely related bronze figure of a four-armed Avalokiteshvara, found in a riverbed at Palembang, Sumatra, in 1930, now at the Museum National, Jakarta, see Versunkene Konigreiche Indonesiens, Roemer- und Pelizaeus-Museum Hildesheim, 1995, cat. no. 9. For a closely related bronze figure of a six-armed Avalokiteshvara, in the National Museum, Bangkok, see The Sculpture of Thailand, Asia House Gallery, 1972, cat. no. 12.Auction result comparison: Compare a closely related bronze figure of a six-armed Avalokiteshvara, 44.5 cm high (including the base!), dated to the 9th century, at Christie's New York in Indian and Southeast Asian Art on 20 September 2006, lot 202, sold for USD 66,000.
Lot 390
A GILT COPPER ALLOY REPOUSSE PLAQUE DEPICTING UMAMAHESHVARANepal, 16th-17th century. Shiva is seated atop the holy white bull Nandi, his vehicle, with his wife Uma seated on his left leg, his left arm wrapped around her and his right caressing her chin, a small lion below her, both richly adorned with jewelry and elaborate headdresses, all with fine expressions, and within a beaded border and flames above lotus petals.Provenance: From an old Parisian private collection.Condition: Very good condition, commensurate with age. Wear, minor losses and tears, dents, small nicks, remnants of pigment. Solid, naturally grown patina overall.Weight: 238.3 g (excl. stand)Dimensions: Height 20.5 cm (excl. stand)With an associated metal stand. (2)Uma-Maheshvara represents the sacred embrace, alingana, of the Lord Shiva joined with the Goddess Uma (Parvati). The Great Ascetic, Shiva, who was overcome with the beauty of Uma, Daughter of the Mountain, succumbed to their union for the benefit of his devotees (S. Kramrisch, Manifestations of Shiva, Philadelphia, 1981, page 57). It is through their sensual relationship that they are meant to become a gateway for the devotee to enter their sacred realm.Auction result comparison: Compare a related Nepalese gilt bronze figure depicting Umamaheshvara, dated 16th-17th century, at Christie's Paris in Art d'Asie on 9 June 2021, lot 69, sold for EUR 13,750.銅鎏金錘鍱烏瑪-瑪赫什瓦拉尼泊爾，十六至十七世紀。濕婆坐在他的座駕神聖的白色公牛上，他的妻子烏瑪坐在他的左腿上，他的左臂摟著她，他的右手撫摸著她的下巴；她下面有一隻小獅子，她配戴著華麗的珠寶和精緻的頭飾，神情優美；後有火焰光背，下有蓮座。 來源：巴黎私人老收藏。 品相：狀況極好，與年齡相稱。磨損、輕微缺損和撕裂、凹痕、小劃痕、顔料餘留。整體自然堅實的包漿。 重量: 238.3 克 (不含底座) 尺寸：高 20.5 厘米 (不含底座) 金屬底座 (2) 拍賣結果比較：比較一件相近的尼泊爾鎏金銅烏瑪-瑪赫什瓦拉，見巴黎佳士得Art d'Asie 2021年6月9日 lot 69, 售價EUR 13,750。
Lot 580
A LARGE PARINIRVANA BRONZE FIGURE OF BUDDHA, 17TH-18TH CENTURYThailand. Lying on his right side atop a rectangular base with his right hand supporting his head, the left resting on his thigh. He is wearing a sanghati over a long dhoti. The serene face with heavy-lidded eyes, arched eyebrows, and full lips forming a benevolent smile, flanked by long pendulous earlobes, the hair in tight spiral curls over the ushnisha surmounted by a flaming cintamani.Provenance: UK market, by repute from an English private collection. Condition: Overall good condition commensurate with age. Old wear, some casting flaws, small nicks, losses and dents, light scratches, few structural cracks, including a larger one to his right leg. Fine, naturally grown, dark patina with malachite-green encrustation.Weight: 14.4 kgDimensions: Length 59 cmIn Buddhism, parinirvana is commonly used to refer to nirvana-after-death, which occurs upon the death of someone who has attained nirvana during lifetime. It implies a release from the Saṃsara, karma and rebirth as well as the dissolution of the skandhas. In some Mahayana scriptures, notably the Maha Parinirvaṇa Sutra, parinirvaṇa is described as the realm of the eternal true Self of the Buddha.Auction result comparison: Compare a closely related Thai bronze figure of Buddha in parinirvana, also dated 17th-18th century, at Christie's New York in Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian Works of Art on 13 September 2016, lot 254, sold for USD 21,250.
Lot 407
A RARE WOOD PANEL DEPICTING GARUDA WITH VIBHAVASU AND SUPRATIKNepal, 16th century. Boldly carved in high relief with Garuda standing atop prostate figures of Supratik and Vibhavasu as an elephant and tortoise, respectively. His legs and arms are bent with wings stretched outward as if about to take flight. He is richly adorned in beaded jewelry and wearing an elaborate crown. His face is carved with large almond-shaped eyes and a prominent beak. Two avatars of Vishnu are hanging upside-down from the foliate canopy toward the top of the panel and another figure stands to Garuda's left.Provenance: From an old German private collection. Published: Annemie De Gendt, Paul de Smet, et al, Ghurra's: Goden Uit de Himalaya. Nepalese Volkskunst, 2004, page 142.Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Extensive wear, signs of weathering, losses, natural age cracks and splits. Fine, naturally grown patina.Weight: 5,135 g Dimensions: Size 62 x 47 cmGaruda is a half-bird, half-human creature that appears in both Hinduism and Buddhism. In Hinduism, Garuda is the mount of the god Vishnu. Vishnu was the main deity of the north Indian Gupta rulers, and Garuda was their dynastic symbol. This royal association was adopted by Licchavi royalty in Nepal, becoming a quintessential icon in Nepalese religious imagery. Garuda is most commonly depicted kneeling on one knee or in flight with Vishnu on his back and is only rarely depicted standing, especially in Nepal.The story of the two brothers Vibhavasu and Supratik is told in the Adi Parva of the Mahabharata. The elder one, Vibhavasu, was susceptible to anger, while the younger one, Supratik, was seeking to partition their wealth. One day both brothers were involved in a quarrel with each other. In the end, Vibhavasu then cursed Supratik, saying he will take birth as an elephant in the next life. In return, Supratik cursed his brother, saying he will be born as a tortoise. Anger and greed therefore caused them to be born as animals in their next birth and their hostility continued. One day the two were seized by Garuda, who took them in his claws to a mountain and ate them.Literature comparison: Compare a gilt bronze figure of Garuda (20 cm high) dated to the 12th century, in the Rijksmuseum, item number AK-MAK-1509; an ivory relief of Garuda (10 cm high) dated to the 14th century in the Victoria & Albert Museum, accession number IS.124-1999; a gilt bronze figure of Garuda (ca. 13.6 cm high) dated to the 17th century in the Rubin Museum of Art, object number C2005.16.13; and a Tibetan wood figure of Garuda (42 cm high) dated pre-17th century in the Victoria & Albert Museum, accession number IM.24-1910. 罕見木雕婁迦儸與維巴華素與蘇普拉提克兄弟的故事尼泊爾，十六世紀。高浮雕婁迦儸展翅，腳踏在大象維巴華素與烏龜蘇普拉提克兄弟身上。婁迦儸的腿和手臂彎曲，翅膀向外伸展，好像要起飛一樣。他佩戴著精美的珠飾，戴著精緻的王冠。他的臉上刻著杏仁狀的大眼睛和突出的喙。毘濕奴的兩個化身倒掛在面板頂部的葉狀樹冠上，另一個人物站在婁迦儸的左邊。來源：德國私人老收藏。出版：Annemie De Gendt, Paul de Smet, et al, Ghurra's: Goden Uit de Himalaya. Nepalese Volkskunst, 2004, 頁142。品相：狀況良好，與年齡相稱。 廣泛磨損、風化跡象、缺損、自然老化裂縫。包漿自然生長且十分細膩。重量：5,135 克尺寸：62 x 47 釐米
Lot 378
A MAGNIFICENT AND RARE GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF BUDDHA, TANG DYNASTYChina, 618-907. Superbly cast seated in dhyanasana with his right hand raised in shuni mudra and the left resting on his knee, his robe falling in crisply incised, draped folds in front. The serene face with heavy-lidded almond-shaped eyes below gently arched eyebrows, a broad nose, and full lips, flanked by long pendulous earlobes. The head surmounted by a domed ushnisha. The figure has two attachment tabs (tang), one projecting from the back of the head, the other located at the upper backside of the interior. Provenance: United Kingdom trade, by repute from an old private estate. Condition: Excellent condition, commensurate with age and overall as expected for a gilt bronze from this well-documented group. Old wear, minor casting flaws, few small losses and dents, occasional scratches. Flaking and microscopic warts to gilt in some areas. Some verdigris here and there, ancient corrosion. Old traces of soldering to the tang at the back of the head. The second tang mostly lost. Remnants of old varnish. Despite the wear and corrosion, the gilding still presents quite well overall. The inside of the statue contains deteriorated remnants of fabric, which may at some point have contained an ancient sutra scroll.Weight: 254.8 g (excl. stand)Dimensions: Height 12.4 cm (excl. stand)Gilt-bronzes of the Teaching Buddha, with his right hand raised in variants of vitarka mudra, and the left resting on the knee, became extremely popular from the turn of the eighth century, the delicately draped base demonstrating the classic style of the period.Literature comparison: See a closely related figure in comparable style in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated in The Crucible of Compassion and Wisdom: Special Exhibition Catalogue of the Buddhist Bronzes from the Nitta Group Collection at the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1987, p. 173, no 76. Two similar gilt-bronze figures in the collection of the Shanghai Museum are illustrated in S. Matsubara, Chugoku bukkyo chokokushi ron (The Path of Chinese Buddhist Sculpture), vol. 3, Tang, Five Dynasties, Sung and Taoism Sculpture, Tokyo, 1995, pl. 720 A and B. Compare a closely related gilt bronze of Buddha flanked by two bodhisattvas and attendants in the collection of the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, object number B60B1038. Compare a related but slightly larger gilt bronze figure of Buddha (18 cm high), also with a draped base and dated to the Tang dynasty, at Christie's New York in Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art on 23 March 2012, lot 1765.Auction result comparison: Compare a closely related gilt bronze figure of Buddha (14.6 cm high), also with two attachment tabs, draped base, and dated to the Tang dynasty, at Christie's Hong Kong in Contemplating The Divine – Fine Buddhist Art on 30 May 2018, lot 2856, sold for HKD 2,375,000. Compare a closely related but smaller gilt bronze figure of Buddha (8 cm high), also with attachment tabs projecting from the back, draped base, and dated to the Tang dynasty, at Christie's New York in The Collection of Robert Hatfield Ellsworth Part IV on 20 March 2015, lot 759, sold for USD 161,000. 唐代罕見銅鎏金佛陀坐像中國， 618-907年。佛陀結跏趺坐，右手施耐心之印，左手放在膝蓋上，天衣袒右肩，褶皺清晰流暢。面容安詳，眼睛微微下垂，眉毛微微拱起，寬鼻，豐滿的嘴唇，兩側是長長的耳垂。頭頂上呈螺髻。兩處附接片（柄腳），一個從頭部後部突出，另一個位於內部的上方。 來源：英國拍賣市場，據説購於私人老收藏。 品相：品相極佳，與年齡相稱，整體上符合這一時期鎏金銅造像的預期。舊磨損、輕微鑄造瑕疵、少量小缺損和凹痕、局部劃痕。局部鎏金磨損，到處都是綠色鏽斑。 頭後部的柄腳上有舊的焊接痕跡，內部柄腳有大部分缺損。舊漆的殘留。儘管有磨損和腐蝕，但整體上鎏金仍然良好。雕像的內部有織物殘餘物，可能在之前密封了古老的經卷。 重量: 254.8 克 (不含底座) 尺寸：高 12.4 厘米 (不含底座)拍賣結果比較：比較一件相似的鎏金銅佛陀 (高14.6 厘米), 同樣有兩個附接片，唐代, 見香港佳士得Contemplating The Divine – Fine Buddhist Art 2018年5月30日 lot 2856, 售價HKD 2,375,000；比較一件相似的但稍小的鎏金銅佛陀 (高8 厘米)，背部同樣有兩個附接片，唐代，見紐約佳士得The Collection of Robert Hatfield Ellsworth Part IV 2015年3月 20日 lot 759, 售價USD 161,000。
Lot 421
A CLOISONNE ENAMEL FIGURE OF A DEER, QING DYNASTYChina, 1644-1912. Striding elegantly with one raised foreleg bent, the head turned slightly to one side, the ungulate with almond-shaped eyes, a prominent snout, pricked ears, detachable gilt-bronze antlers, wavy fur, short tail, and white spots, the mouth slightly open. The underside with a large circular aperture encircled by a band of ruyi-heads.Provenance: Belgian trade.Condition: Very good condition with minor wear and manufacturing irregularities. Some wear to gilt. Minor dents, few minuscule nicks, light scratches.Weight: 3,645 g (incl. base)Dimensions: Height 70.5 (excl. base) and 76.5 cm (incl. base), Length 36 cm (the deer) and 44 cm (the base)Mounted to a fitted wood base dating to the late Qing dynasty. (2)清代銅胎掐絲琺琅鹿擺件中國，1644-1912年。鹿邁步優雅，前肢翹起，頭略偏向一側，口鼻突出，嘴微微張開，豎耳，鎏金鹿角可拆卸，皮毛如波浪形，有白點，短尾。 腹部處有一個大圓孔，周圍修飾著一圈如意紋。 來源：比利時古玩市場。 品相：狀況極好，有輕微磨損和製造瑕疵。有些鎏金磨損。輕微的凹痕，微小的刻痕和劃痕。 重量: 3,645克 (含底座) 尺寸：高 70.5 (不含底座)，總76.5 厘米 ；鹿長 36 厘米，底座 44 厘米 清末木質底座 (2)
Lot 546
'LADY AND PARROT', BY XU CAO (1899-1961)China. Ink, gilt, and watercolors on paper. Finely painted with a noble lady seated in an elaborately crafted wooden chair with gilt fittings and silk brocade back, a table holding a wine cup and an ancient bronze vessel as well as a large vase held by a stand beside her. The lady is looking toward her parrot perched on a gilt swing suspended from a dragon fitting mounted to a wooden pole.Inscriptions: Upper left, signed 'Yansun Xu Cao', and with a lengthy inscription. One seal of the artist.Provenance: UK trade, by repute acquired from a British private collection.Condition: Excellent condition with minor old wear. Soiling, browning, and foxing, all found exclusively outside the depiction, therefore probably added by the artist on purpose. Mounted as a hanging scroll.Dimensions: Image size 81 x 35.5 cm, Size incl. mounting 215 x 51 cmExpert's note: Xu Cao was a leading conservative artist in Beijing during the 1930s and 1940s. Some scholars have later described him as possibly the last living proponent of the Imperial School. Xu Cao's zestful brushwork and taste for theatrics were conservative in their references to the past, but wholly modern in the spirit of defiance and abandon they celebrated. This is clearly seen in the present work, with the paper being deliberately 'aged' with simulated wear, a dramatic effect that - like in theater- creates a stark contrast between the actual depiction and the background.Auction result comparison: Compare a closely related painting by Xu Cao, also depicting a lady and parrot, dated 1939 by inscription, at Christie's Hong Kong in Fine Chinese Modern Paintings on 30 May 2017, lot 1297, sold for HKD 150,000. 徐操(1899-1961)《美人鸚鵡》中國。立軸，紙本水墨設色描金。畫中一位仕女坐在絲錦椅背上，身畔桌子上放著酒杯和銅瓶，旁邊的三足架上放著一隻大花瓶。仕女正逗玩著棲息在一個鎏金鞦韆上的鸚鵡。設色精美，人物造型準確，形態逼真，陳設傢俱細節刻畫細緻。款識：新將金巢籠鸚鵡，朝餐多與教來香閣幾行詩，贏得頻開齲齒，小鳥聰明如許，誦來楚之，休將呢語令他知，恐怕人前亂語。霜紅主人燕孫徐操。鈴印：燕孫徐操來源：英國古玩市場，據説來自英國私人收藏。品相：狀況極佳，有輕微舊磨損。 汙漬、褐變和起皮。裝裱立軸。尺寸：畫面81 x 35.5厘米，總215 x 51 厘米拍賣結果比較：比較一件徐操1939年的《美人鸚鵡》，見香港佳士得Fine Chinese Modern Paintings 2017年5月30日 lot 1297, 售價HKD 150,000。
Lot 477
A LONGQUAN CELADON TRIPOD CENSER, SOUTHERN SONG DYNASTYChina, 1127-1279. The compressed globular body molded with a raised rib at the shoulder connecting to three raised flanges running vertically from the shoulder to each conical foot. The straight neck supporting a flattened everted mouth rim, covered overall with a rich bluish sea-green glaze, thinning slightly over the rim and raised decoration and pooling at the recesses.Provenance: Old French private collection and thence by descent within the same family to the present owner.Condition: Excellent condition with minor wear and firing irregularities, such as dark spots and few pits. General shallow surface scratches.Weight: 320.3 gDimensions: Diameter 10.5 cm, Height 8.2 cmThis shape, inspired by ancient bronze li, was produced during the Southern Song through the Yuan period for the domestic as well as the export market. The thick, translucent glaze is typical of this type of Southern Song Longquan ware, as is the lack of any decoration other than the flanges.Literature comparison: Several Longquan celadon censers of the same shape are published, including several in renowned museum collections. Examples in the Tokyo National Museum and Percival David Foundation, London, are published in Oriental Ceramics, The World's Great Collections, Tokyo, 1982, vol. 1, no. 97, and vol. 6, no. 37, respectively. Others include the example by J. Ayers, The Baur Collection: Chinese Ceramics, vol. I, Geneva, 1972, no. A99; and the National Palace Museum, Taiwan, included in the Illustrated Catalogue of Sung Dynasty Porcelain, Taipei, 1974, no. 12. A larger example (19.7 cm. diam.), found in 1991 in Jinyu village of Nanqiong, Suining city, Sichuan province, is illustrated in Longquan Celadon: The Sichuan Museum Collection, Macau, 1998, pp. 210-11, no. 83.Auction result comparison: Compare a closely related but larger (15 cm diameter) Longquan tripod censer, also dated to the Southern Song dynasty, at Christie's Hong Kong in Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art on 29 November 2017, lot 2992, sold for HKD 1,000,000, and another of slightly smaller size (12.9 cm) at Sotheby's London in Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art on 6 November 2013, lot 231, sold for GBP 116,500. 南宋龍泉三足爐 中國，1127-1279年。 爐呈鬲形，下承三乳足，上飾凸棱，隱露胎色，形成出筋效果。爐身施海綠色釉，玲瓏端秀。來源：法國私人老收藏，同一家族保存至今直至現任藏家。 品相：狀況極佳，有輕微磨損和燒製不規則現象，例如黑點和少量凹坑。 表面淺划痕。 重量：320.3 克 尺寸：直徑10.5 厘米, 高8.2 厘米 拍賣結果比較：一件相近的但稍大 (直徑15 厘米) 的龍泉三足爐，同樣為南宋，于香港佳士得Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art 2017年11月29日 lot 2992, 售價HKD 1,000,000, 另一件 (12.9 厘米) 于倫敦蘇富比 Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art 2013年11月6日 lot 231, 售價GBP 116,500。
Lot 357
A TWO-PIECE MINIATURE BRONZE STEAMER, XIAN, EASTERN HAN TO THREE KINGDOMS PERIODChina, 26-265 AD or slightly later. The bowl with deep rounded sides rising from a separately cast short spreading foot to an everted rim. The cover with a raised central panel surmounted by a separately cast flared 'rim', indicating its use as both a cover for the steamer and as a serving or cooking plate. (2)Provenance: Arthur M. Sackler, New York. Arthur Mitchell Sackler (1913-1987) was one of America's foremost art collectors, who amassed the largest Chinese art collection in the world. His name lives on in many art-related projects: the Sackler Wing that houses the Temple of Dendur at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery at Princeton University, and the Arthur M. Sackler Museum at Harvard University. At the Smithsonian Institute, the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery is a museum for Asian and Near Eastern Art. In China, the Arthur M. Sackler Museum of Art and Archaeology teaches museology to students in Beijing. Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Extensive wear, signs of weathering and erosion, small losses to the foot of the bowl. Fine, naturally grown patina, with extensive malachite and few azurite encrustations.Weight: 379.2 g (the bowl) and 320.4 g (the cover)Dimensions: Height 11.5 cm (the bowl and cover), Diameter 17.5 cm (the cover)Literature comparison: Compare a closely related two-piece miniature steamer from the Avery Brundage Collection, also dated Eastern Han dynasty to Three Kingdoms period and of closely related size, in the collection of the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, object number B65B48.a-.b. 東漢至三國時代小銅甗 中國，26-265 年或更早。深壁圓碗，口外翻。一個獨立的圓盤，既可以用作蒸籠的蓋子，也可以用作盤子。 來源：紐約Arthur M. Sackler收藏。Arthur Mitchell Sackler (1913-1987) 曾是美國最重要的藝術收藏家之一，擁有世界上最大的中國藝術收藏。他的名字曾出現在眾多與藝術相關的項目中：美國大都會藝術博物館Dendur神廟所在的Sackler展館、普林斯頓大學的Arthur Mitchell Sackler展館和哈佛大學的Arthur Mitchell Sackler博物館。 在史密森學會，Arthur Mitchell Sackler展館是亞洲和近東藝術博物館。 在中國北京，學生們在Arthur Mitchell Sackler藝術與考古博物館學習博物館學。品相：品相良好，與其年齡相符，大面積磨損，風化和侵蝕跡象，碗底小缺損。細膩且自然生長的包漿，帶有大量孔雀石綠色的結殼。 重量：379.2 克 (碗)，320.4 克 (蓋) 尺寸：縂高11.5 厘米，蓋直徑17.5 厘米
Lot 572
A PAIR OF BRONZE 'GARUDA' PALANQUIN HOOKS, ANGKOR PERIODKhmer Empire, 12th-13th century. The ring with a raised inner rim and sides notched vertically and horizontally, supported by a tiered lozenge-form mid-section shaped as lotus petals, the hook modeled as a Garuda with outstretched wings and curved tail.Provenance: Collection of Leonardo Vigorelli, Bergamo, acquired in Hong Kong during the 1990s. Leonardo Vigorelli is a retired Italian art dealer and noted collector, specializing in African and ancient Hindu-Buddhist art. After studying anthropology and decades of travel as well as extensive field research in India, the Himalayan region, Southeast Asia, and Africa, he founded the Dalton Somare art gallery in Milan, Italy, which today is being run by his two sons.Condition: Excellent condition, commensurate with age. Wear, small losses, cracks, minor dents, encrustations. Remnants of gilt. Fine, naturally grown patina with malachite and azurite encrustation.Weight: 1,581 g and 1,350 g (excl. stands)Dimensions: Height 21.5 cm (each, excl. stands)Each with an associated metal stand. (4)Auction result comparison: Compare a related pair of bronze palanquin hooks, also with lotus and Garuda, at Christie's New York, 20 March 2012, lot 181, sold for USD 6,250 (USD 7,600 in today's currency after inflation).
Lot 359
A BRONZE SHALLOW TRIPOD VESSEL, DING, EARLY SPRING AND AUTUMN PERIODChina, late 8th to early 7th century BC. The rounded bowl supported on three cabriole legs, two upright loop handles rising from the everted rim above. The exterior of the body cast with two bands of dense and sharp archaic scroll.Provenance: From a noted private collection in New York City, USA, and thence by descent within the same family.Condition: Excellent condition, commensurate with age. Extensive wear, casting flaws, visible parting lines, few minuscule nicks and dents, minor losses. With a fine, naturally grown patina and extensive malachite encrustation.Weight: 1,465 gDimensions: Width 19.3 cm (at the widest points)Literature comparison: A closely related ding is illustrated by Jenny So in Eastern Zhou Ritual Bronzes from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, 1995, pp. 102-3, no. 6, where it is dated Eastern Zhou, early Spring and Autumn period, late 8th-early 7th century BC. Compare a ding, of closely related shallow form and with similar tight interlace, also dated 8th-7th century BC, in the collection of the British Museum, museum number 1982,0621.1.Auction result comparison: Compare a related ding, also dated early Spring and Autumn period, at Christie's New York in Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art on 23 March 2012, lot 1531, sold for USD 30,000, and another at Sotheby's New York in Important Chinese Art on 12 September 2018, lot 190, sold for USD 20,000. A near-identical bronze ding, from the same provenance as the present lot, was sold in these rooms in Fine Chinese Art, Buddhism and Hinduism on 16 October 2021, lot 329, for EUR 8,848.春秋初年青銅三足鼎 中國，公元前八至七世紀。此鼎球形深腹，雙立耳，下承三蹄足，穩重有力，造型渾厚；其整體紋飾粗獷，腹部飾竊曲紋。 來源：美國紐約知名私人收藏，一直保存在同一家族。 品相：狀況極佳，與年齡相符。 廣泛磨損、鑄造瑕疵、可見的分型線，有微小的刻痕和凹痕，輕微的缺損。細膩的自然生長的包漿和孔雀石綠結殼。 重量：1,465 克 尺寸：寬19.3 厘米 (最寬處) 拍賣結果：比較一件相近的同樣為春秋初期的鼎，見紐約佳士得 Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art 2012年3月23日 lot 1531, 售價USD 30,000；另一件見紐約蘇富比 Important Chinese Art 2018年9月12日lot 190, 售價USD 20,000。一件幾乎一模一樣的青銅鼎，來自同一收藏，2021年10月16日在本藝廊 Fine Chinese Art, Buddhism and Hinduism 拍賣，lot 329, 售價 EUR 8,848。
Lot 373
A BRONZE TRIPOD CENSER, SONG YUE LUE MARK, 17TH-18TH CENTURYChina. The censer has a compressed body raised on three conical supports, and a pair of 'bridge'-shaped handles that rise in a graceful curve from the rim. The base crisply cast with a recessed square panel enclosing a three-character mark.Inscriptions: To base, 'Song Yue Lue' (Companion of Pine and Moon).Provenance: Christie's South Kensington, 10 September 1987 (according to collector's notes). Collection of John Burke da Silva, acquired from the above and thence by descent within the same family. A handwritten note by the collector, describing the present lot and recording its purchase from Christie's, accompanies this lot. John Burke da Silva CMG (1918-2003) joined the Foreign Office after the war. The job took him to many parts of the world. His love of Chinese porcelain stemmed from a posting to the Embassy in Rome in 1954, where he happened to stay in a rented flat that housed a large collection of Chinese and Japanese works of art. He studied the subject learning from books and visiting museums, eventually joining the Oriental Ceramics Society in 1960, and serving on their Council and as Honorary Treasurer until 1994.Condition: Very good condition with old wear and some casting flaws, few small nicks and dents, occasional light scratches. Fine, naturally grown patina with areas of dark and malachite encrustation.Weight: 1,177 gDimensions: Diameter 13.7 cm (at the widest points)Auction result comparison: Compare a related bronze censer, 23.5 cm wide, with the same mark and also dated 17th-18th century, at Bonhams London in Fine Chinese Art on 8 November 2018, lot 267, sold for GBP 13,750. Compare a closely related bronze censer, 23.2 cm wide, but with an apocryphal Xuande mark and dated to the 18th century, of near-identical form, at Christie's New York in Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art on 22 March 2013, lot 1284, sold for USD 13,750.十七至十八世紀“松月侶“款青銅橋耳三足爐中國。橋耳流暢，乳足圓碩，爐身豐滿，比例協調，線條爽朗。底鑄”松月侶“ 三字篆書款。. 來源：南肯辛頓佳士得，1987年9月10日 (根據藏家備註)。John Burke da Silva收藏，購於上述收藏并保存在同一家族至今。隨附藏家來源備註。John Burke da Silva CMG (1918-2003) 戰後加入外交部，從而可以環游世界。 他對中國瓷器的熱愛源於 1954 年在羅馬大使館任職時期，當時他碰巧住在一間租來的公寓裡，樓裡面收藏了大量中國和日本的藝術品。他通過書本學習並參觀博物館，最終於 1960 年加入東方陶瓷學會，在其理事會任職並擔任名譽司庫直至 1994 年。 品相：狀況極好，有舊磨損和一些鑄造瑕疵，少量小劃痕和凹痕，局部有輕微劃痕。自然生長的細膩的包漿，帶有深色和孔雀石綠結殼。 重量：1,177 克 尺寸：直徑13.7 厘米 (最寬處) 拍賣結果比較: 比較一件相近的青銅爐，寬 23.5厘米，同一款識，十七至十八世紀，見倫敦邦翰思 Fine Chinese Art 2018年11月8日 lot 267, 售價GBP 13,750 ；比較一件相近的青銅爐，寬 23.2厘米，但有宣德款，十八世紀，相似外形，見紐約佳士得Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art 2013年3月 22日 lot 1284, 售價USD 13,750。
Lot 381
A LARGE BRONZE FIGURE OF BUDDHA AMITABHA, MING DYNASTYChina, 15th-16th century. Finely cast, standing atop a circular lotus base, his right hand lowered in abhaya mudra and the left holding an alms bowl, wearing a diaphanous robe opening at the chest to reveal an incised wan emblem, the hems neatly incised with foliate scroll. His serene face with heavy-lidded downcast eyes below gently arched eyebrows centered by an urna, flanked by long pendulous earlobes. The hair in tight curls surmounted by a domed ushnisha.Provenance: From an old German private collection, assembled in Japan during the 1950s and 1960s, and thence by descent in the same family.Condition: Very good condition, commensurate with age. Wear, small nicks, dents and losses, light scratches, casting flaws, remnants of ancient pigment.Weight: 6.6 kg Dimensions: Height 45.8 cmAuction result comparison: Compare a related parcel-gilt bronze figure of Buddha, 55.2 cm high, also dated to the Ming dynasty, at Sotheby's London in The Family Collection of the late Countess Mountbatten of Burma, 24 March 2021, lot 24, sold for GBP 30,240.明代大型阿彌陀佛銅像中國，十五至十六世紀。銅像頭綰螺髻，寬額面闊，細眉長目，眼瞼下垂，白毫像，雙耳垂肩，表情莊重。身材勻稱協調，身披袈裟，著長裙，伸右手結與愿印，跣足立於仰覆蓮座。 來源：德國私人老收藏，上世紀五十至六十年代購於日本，在同一家族保存至今。 品相：狀態極好，與年齡相稱。 磨損、小劃痕、凹痕和缺損、鑄造瑕疵、古代顏料殘留物。 重量：6.6 公斤 尺寸：高45.8 厘米 拍賣結果比較: 比較一件相近的明代局部鎏金銅佛想，高55.2厘米，見倫敦蘇富比The Family Collection of the late Countess Mountbatten of Burma 2021年3月24日 lot 24, 售價GBP 30,240。
Lot 578
A LARGE BRONZE FIGURE OF BUDDHA SHAKYAMUNI, AYUTTHAYA KINGDOMThailand, 17th-18th century. Seated in maravijaya with the right hand lowered in bhumisparsa mudra and the left resting in his lap, wearing a sanghati draped over his left shoulder. His serene face with downcast eyes, arched brows, and full lips, flanked by long pendulous earlobes. The hair arranged in tight curls with a high ushnisha.Provenance: From the collection of Godfried Wauters, who has been active in the Belgian trade for over 40 years. He has built a substantial art collection including Chinese and Buddhist sculptures, significantly expanding on the collection already built by his late father Gustaaf Wauters (1905-1992).Condition: Good condition with some old wear and casting flaws, losses, minor nicks and dents. Remnants of ancient varnish, pigment, and gilt, the base and one leg possibly with minor old repair.Dimensions: Height 84 cmAuction result comparison: Compare a related bronze figure, 88 cm high, dated 16th-17th century, at Christie's Paris on 12 June 2012, lot 321, sold for EUR 46,600.
Lot 353
A BRONZE RITUAL WINE CUP, ZHI, LATE SHANG TO EARLY WESTERN ZHOUChina, 11th century BC. The broad pear-shaped body supported on a spreading foot and rising to an everted rim, finely decorated around the waisted neck with a narrow band of archaic scroll between two line borders and around the foot with similar scroll and geometric designs as well as four bosses.Inscriptions: To the interior, 'Fu' (Father).Provenance: Armin Lemp, Zuerich, Switzerland 1961. The Plesch Collection, no. Bv12 (label to base), acquired from the above. Peter and Traudi Plesch were both refugees from Nazi persecution. Peter had left Germany with his father, who was the medical doctor of Albert Einstein, who once gently commented on the practical difficulties of young Peter's ingenious design for a perpetual motion machine. Peter Plesch had already formed a fine collection when he met Traudi. One influence had been his maternal great uncle, Fritz von Gans, who had left his antiquities collection to the Royal Prussian Museum, Berlin. However, on their honeymoon in Israel, Traudi fell for the lure of ancient Chinese glass which inspired a new joint adventure, the one criterion for a purchase being that she and Peter should both want the object, although not necessarily with the same passion. Thus their collection was formed slowly and wisely over four decades, later expanding into jades and ancient bronzes, reflecting their desire to have beautiful, but also academically meaningful pieces.Condition: Superb condition, commensurate with age, and absolutely original with no repairs or touchups whatsoever. Extensive wear, signs of weathering and erosion. Fine, naturally grown patina with extensive malachite and cuprite encrustation.Weight: 481.6 gDimensions: Height 11.2 cmLiterature comparison: Compare a closely related bronze zhi, dated to the early Western Zhou, c. 1050-1100 BC, in the collection of the Arthur M. Sacker Gallery in the National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institute, accession number S2012.9.585.Auction result comparison: Compare a closely related bronze zhi, also dated late Shang to early Western Zhou, of closely related size (11.4 cm high), only the upper body of slightly different design, at Christie's New York in Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art on 14 September 2018, lot 1103, sold for USD 37,500. 商末至西周初年青銅觶 中國，公元前十一世紀。圓腹，侈口，圈足。頸部與足部飾雲雷紋。 銘文: 器内可見“父”字樣。 來源：1961年瑞士蘇黎世Armin Lemp收藏。Plesch 收藏，no. Bv12 (見底部標籤)，購於上述收藏。Peter 與Traudi Plesch 兩人都是遭受納粹迫害的難民。Peter與他的父親一起離開了德國，他的父親是阿爾伯特·愛因斯坦的醫生，愛因斯坦曾經溫和地和年輕的Peter討論如何設計永動機的實際困難。 Peter Plesch 在遇到 Traudi 時已經擁有了一個很好的收藏。他的外叔祖弗里茨·馮·甘斯 (Fritz von Gans) 曾給Peter極大的影響，他將自己的文物收藏留給了柏林皇家普魯士博物館。然而，在以色列度蜜月時，Traudi 被中國古代琉璃的魅力所吸引，因此激發了一次新收藏冒險。他們購買藏品的一個標準是，她和彼得必須都想要這件物品，但並不一定要有相同的熱情。因此，他們的藏品在四十年來被緩慢卻明智地構建著，後來擴展到玉器和古代青銅器，這反映了他們願意擁有美麗但同時也具有學術意義的藏品。 品相：狀況極佳，與年齡相稱，絕對原始，沒有任何修補或修飾。廣泛磨損、風化和侵蝕。細膩且為自然生長的包漿，帶有大量綠色紅色結殼。 重量：481.6 克 尺寸：高11.2 厘米拍賣結果比較：比較一件相近青銅觶，同樣為商末至西周初年，相近尺寸 (高11.4 厘米)，僅在青銅器上半部有不同紋飾，見紐約佳士得Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art，2018年9月14日 lot 1103, 售價USD 37,500。
Lot 579
A MAGNIFICENT GILT BRONZE FIGURE OF BUDDHA, SUKHOTHAIThailand, 15th-16th century. Seated in dhyanasana with the hands lowered in dhyana mudra, wearing a sanghati draped over his left shoulder, the serene face with heavy-lidded downcast eyes below elegantly arched eyebrows, the hair arranged in tight curls with a high ushnisha surmounted by a removable flame.Provenance: Belgian private collection, by repute acquired before 1980. From the collection of Godfried Wauters, acquired from the above. Wauters has been active in the Belgian trade for over 40 years. He has built a substantial art collection including Chinese and Buddhist sculptures, significantly expanding on the collection already built by his late father Gustaaf Wauters (1905-1992).Condition: Good condition with some wear, particularly to gilt on the reverse, and casting flaws, some dents and nicks, light scratches. The gilt possibly renewed at some point in time, very long ago.Dimensions: Height 77 cm (incl. flame) and 66 cm (excl. flame)Auction result comparison: Compare with a Seated Buddha, Thailand, Ayutthaya Period, 16th/17th century, height 97 cm, at Sotheby's, in Worlds within Worlds, Works from the Collection of Peter Petrou, 21 September 2021, lot 63, sold for GBP 75,600. Compare with a gilt copper alloy figure of Buddha, Thailand, Ayutthaya period, 16th century, height 87 cm, at Bonham's in Indian, Himalayan & Southeast Asian Art, 23 Sep 2021, New York, lot 1214, sold for USD 137,812.
Lot 376
A SUPERBLY CARVED LIMESTONE FIGURE OF A LION, TANG DYNASTYChina, 618-907. Naturalistically carved, the emaciated beast seated on its taut haunches atop a rectangular base, with its head turned to one side framed by the finely incised curled mane. Its ferocious expression is detailed with deeply carved bulging eyes, heavy brows, and the mouth open in a roar. The stone is of a brownish-gray tone. The base with an oval aperture in the center.Provenance: Sotheby's New York, 3 June 1987, sold for USD 26,400 (approx. USD 64,792 today after inflation). An English private collection, acquired from the above. Christie's London, 5 November 2013, lot 310, sold for GBP 52,500 (approx. GBP 61,529 today after inflation). The property of a Lady, acquired from the above.Condition: Superb condition, commensurate with age. Small chips, minor losses, minuscule nicks, light scratches, old wear, ancient age cracks. Traces of erosion. Fine, naturally grown patina.Weight: 3,272 gDimensions: Height 21.5 cm, Width 16.7 cmWith a silk box and cover. (2)The lion is well represented in Buddhist art of the Tang dynasty. Its roar was said to represent the dissemination of the Buddhist scriptures. In their role as guardian figures, lions can be found not only lining spirit roads which lead to imperial tombs, but also in pairs in tombs, such as the pair of small marble lions found guarding the front room of the underground hoard of Buddhist relics at the Famen Temple. See Famen Temple, Shanxi, 1990, pp. 164-167. This figure is stylistically similar to other stone lions of Tang date that are also seated on a plinth, some with head turned, some with mouth open.Literature comparison: Compare the brown-stained white marble lion of related size illustrated by M. Sullivan, Chinese Ceramics, Bronzes and Jades in the Collection of Sir Alan and Lady Barlow, London, 1963, pl. 14 (no. S36). Compare with a similarly modeled lion, illustrated by Osvald Siren in Chinese Sculpture From the Fifth to the Fourteenth Century, Sweden, 1998, p.35, pl.435 D.Auction result comparison: Compare a closely related puddingstone figure of a lion, 14.3 cm high, also dated to the Tang dynasty, at Christie's New York in Lacquer, Jade, Bronze, Ink: The Irving Collection Day Sale on 21 March 2019, lot 1182, sold for USD 52,500. Compare a related stone figure of a lion, 16.6 cm high, also dated to the Tang dynasty, at Christie's New York in Sacred and Imperial: The James and Marilynn Alsdorf Collection Part II on 24 September 2020, lot 910, sold for USD 32,500. Compare a related marble figure of a lion, 51.8 cm high, also dated to the Tang dynasty, at Christie's New York in The Collection of Robert Hatfield Ellsworth Part I on 17 March 2015, lot 16, sold for USD 317,000.唐代石雕獅子 中國，618-907年。石獅蹲姿，前腿直立支撐，眼窩深陷，張口露出獠牙，口型巨大，獵毛反捲向側後上方聳立，雙耳側豎，轉頭怒視其左側。獅兩後腿左右分立，四趾緊抓地面，蓄勢待發。雕刻線條清晰流暢，動態十足，爆發之力蘊於其身。整體石雕呈現褐灰色調。底座中間有一個橢圓形的孔洞。來源：紐約蘇富比 1987年6月 3日，售價USD 26,400 (相當於如今 USD 64,792 )；英國私人收藏，購於上述拍賣；見倫敦佳士得 2013年11月5日 lot 310, 售價GBP 52,500 (相當於如今GBP 61,529)；一位女士的收藏，購於上述拍賣。 品相：狀態極佳，與年齡相稱。小碎屑、輕微損失、微小劃痕、舊時磨損與裂縫，有侵蝕的痕跡。自然生長的包漿非常細膩。重量：3,272克 尺寸：高21.5厘米，寬16.7厘米 絲錦蓋盒。(2) 獅子在唐代佛教藝術中得到了很好的體現，在佛教的許多經論中，都用它來比喻佛陀的無畏與偉大，它的吼聲代表著佛經的傳播。 作為守護者，獅子不僅出現在通往皇陵的靈道上，而且在墓葬中也成對出現，例如在法門寺地宮前守衛的一對漢白玉獅子。 參見《山西法門寺》，1990年，第 164-167 頁。此獅造型與其他唐朝石獅類似，也坐於台座上，有的轉頭，有的張開嘴。 文獻比較：比較一件漢白玉獅見M. Sullivan, Chinese Ceramics, Bronzes and Jades in the Collection of Sir Alan and Lady Barlow, London, 1963, pl. 14 (no. S36)；比較一件相似的獅子，見Osvald Siren，Chinese Sculpture From the Fifth to the Fourteenth Century, Sweden, 1998, p.35, pl.435 D。 拍賣結果比較：比較一件相近的唐代布丁石石獅，高14.3 厘米，見紐約佳士得Lacquer, Jade, Bronze, Ink: The Irving Collection Day Sale 2019年3月21日 lot 118，售價USD 52,500。比較一件相近的石獅，高16.6 厘米，同樣為唐代， 見紐約佳士得Sacred and Imperial: The James and Marilynn Alsdorf Collection Part II 2020年9月24日 lot 910, 售價USD 32,500。比較一件唐代大理石獅，高51.8 厘米，見紐約佳士得 The Collection of Robert Hatfield Ellsworth Part I 2015年3月17日 lot 16, 售價USD 317,000。
Lot 370
A BRONZE 'XINIU' MIRROR STAND, MING DYNASTYChina, 1368-1644. Well cast, the recumbent beast with a long curved horn flanked by a pair of funnel-shaped ears, its head turned back and the mouth agape revealing tongue and teeth, the spine supporting a mirror stand in the form of a crescent-shaped moon above a cloud cluster.Provenance: From a private collection formed largely during the 1980s and 1990s.Condition: Very good condition with old wear and casting flaws, few small nicks and occasional light scratches. The mirror holder still with at least partly original rivets and only slightly loose. Minor signs of weathering and erosion, small areas of verdigris here and there. Fine, naturally grown, dark patina.Weight: 927.2 g (excl. base)Dimensions: Length 22.7 cm (excl. base)With an associated old fitted hardwood base. (2)Auction result comparison: Compare a closely related mirror stand, also dated to the Ming dynasty, at Sotheby's Hong Kong in Important Chinese Art on 6 April 2016, lot 3670, sold for HKD 162,500. 明代《犀牛望月》銅鏡架中國，1368-1644年。鑄造精美，犀牛為俯臥狀，前蹄支地，似欲撐起上半身，後蹄自然壓於身下，回首望向背部由如意雲紋托起的月牙。牛首有角，雙眼有神。來源：私人收藏，建立於上世紀八十至九十年代。品相：狀況極好，有舊磨損和鑄造瑕疵，少量輕微劃痕。鏡架仍帶有部分原始鉚釘，只是略微鬆動。輕微的風化和侵蝕跡象。整器包漿自然均勻。重量：927.2 克 (不含底座)尺寸：長 22.7 釐米 (不含底座)硬木底座。 (2)拍賣結果比較：比較一件明代相近的鏡架，見香港蘇富比Important Chinese Art 2016年4月6日 lot 3670, 售價HKD 162,500。
Lot 372
AN ARABIC-INSCRIBED BRONZE TRIPOD CENSER, 17TH CENTURYChina. Of compressed globular form, supported on three waisted feet and rising to a waisted neck with galleried and incurved rim, the sides cast with three shaped cartouches enclosing Arabic inscriptions against a ring-punched ground. The rim and neck are decorated with raised line bands.Inscriptions: Two cartouches with the Shahada al Tawhid. 'There is no deity but God. Muhammad is the messenger of God.' Written in Persian style.Provenance: Collection of Georg von der Gabelentz and thence by descent. Hans Georg Conon von der Gabelentz (1840-1893) was a German linguist and sinologist. His Chinesische Grammatik (1881), according to one critic, “remains until today the finest overall grammatical survey of the Classical Chinese language.” His father was the more renowned minister and linguist Hans Conon von der Gabelentz, an authority of the Manchu language. Poschwitz Castle in Altenburg, present-day Thuringia, built in the 13th century, was the home of the Gabelentz family for many centuries. Condition: Very good condition with minor wear and casting irregularities, minuscule nicks and dents, and occasional light scratches. Ancient lacquer coating with extensive wear. Dark, naturally grown patina overall.Weight: 1,477 gDimensions: Diameter 15.5 cm (at the widest points)The base cast with a prominent six-character mark da Ming Xuande nianzhi within a rectangular reserve.Auction result comparison: Compare a related bronze tripod censer, 21 cm diameter, also with Arabic inscriptions and dated to the 17th century, at Sotheby's London in Important Chinese Art on 11 May 2016, lot 241, sold for GBP 7,500. 十七世紀阿拉伯文三足爐中國。縮頸，鼓腹，馬蹄形三足，唇沿上三道漩渦紋，腹部阿拉伯銘文。銘文: Shahada al Tawhid （萬物非主，唯有真主，穆罕默德是真主的使者） 來源：Georg von der Gabelentz 收藏，保存至今。Hans Georg Conon von der Gabelentz (1840-1893) 是德國語言學家和漢學家。 據一位評論家說，他的《漢語語法》（1881）“直到今天仍然是對古典漢語最好的語法研究”。 他的父親是著名的部長兼語言學家Hans Conon von der Gabelentz，他是滿語的權威。 位於阿爾滕堡（今圖林根州）的 Poschwitz 城堡建於 13 世紀，幾個世紀以來一直是 Gabelentz 家族的住所。 品相：狀況極好，有輕微磨損和鑄件瑕疵、微小的刻痕和凹痕，以及局部輕微劃痕。漆塗層大面積磨損，包漿整體成深色。重量：1,477 克 尺寸：直徑15.5 厘米 (最寬處)爐底六字“大明宣德年製“。 拍賣結果比較: 比較一件相近的十七世紀阿拉伯文三足銅爐，直徑 21厘米，見倫敦蘇富比Important Chinese Art 2016年5月11 日, lot 241, 售價GBP 7,500。
Lot 355
A LARGE ARCHAIC BRONZE RITUAL FOOD VESSEL AND COVER, DING, WARRING STATESChina, 5th century BC. The large and heavily cast vessel of globular form raised on three cabriole legs, flanked at the shoulder by upright rectangular loop handles, the domed cover surmounted by a raised circular handle encircled by four small loop handles. The upper body and the cover cast with a dense design of archaic scroll and kui dragons, a whorl motif cast inside the circular handle on the cover.Provenance: Ader-Tajan, Paris, 1 February 1994, lot 292. French private collection, acquired from the above.Condition: Condition commensurate with age. Old wear, casting flaws, minor cracks and losses. Fine, naturally grown patina with malachite and cuprite encrustation, some corrosion and minimal warping. The legs with old repairs. One area of loss to the back with distinct metal fills, well visible on additional images at www.zacke.at (no hidden damages). Displaying remarkably well overall, the design still crisp and consistent.Weight: 6.9 kg Dimensions: Height 36.5 cm, Width 35.7 cm (handle to handle)Auction result comparison: Compare a closely related ding, 37.2 cm high, also dated to the 5th century BC, at Christie's Hong Kong in The Imperial Sale on 31 May 2010, lot 2072, sold for HKD 1,220,000. 戰國大型青銅高足盛器中國，公元前五世紀。大而厚重的的球狀三足盛器，肩部兩側是直立的矩形耳朵，圓頂蓋上是一個凸起的圓形鈕，周圍有四個小繫環，器身夔龍圖案，封蓋圓形提手內鑄有雷紋。 來源：巴黎Ader-Tajan藝廊, 1994年2月 1日 lot 292；法國私人收藏，購於上述藝廊。 品相：狀況與年齡相稱。 磨損、鑄件瑕疵、輕微裂紋和缺損。自然細膩的包漿，帶有紅綠色鏽斑，有一些腐蝕和最小翹曲。修復的腿。背部有一個明顯的金屬填充區域丟失，在 www.zacke.at 上可清晰見到細節圖片，沒有隱藏的損壞。整體狀況非常好，紋飾仍然清晰一致。重量：6.9 公斤 尺寸：高36.5 厘米，寬35.7 厘米 (柄至柄) 拍賣結果比較：比較一件相近的鼎，高 37.2 厘米 ，同樣為公元前五世紀，見香港佳士得The Imperial Sale 2010年5月31日 lot 2072, 售價HKD 1,220,000。
Lot 600
AN IMPRESSIVE BRONZE FIGURE OF VISHNU, VIJAYANAGAR PERIODSouth India, 15th century. Heavily cast (total weight is 13.7 kg!), seated in lalitasana, his principal hands held in abhaya and varada mudra, his upper hands holding the wheel and conch. He is wearing a long dhoti, upavita, foliate armlets, necklaces, and tapering cylindrical crown. The serene face with almond-shaped eyes, aquiline nose, and full lips forming a benevolent smile. The present sculpture bears the telltale signs of raised edges rubbed smooth where beholders were gripped with the overt temptation to caress the figure's face and chest.Provenance: A private collector, acquired in 1975. Christie's Paris, 11 June 2008, lot 203, sold for EUR 30,500 (EUR 39,500 in today's currency after inflation). A French private collector in Paris, acquired from the above.Condition: Excellent condition, commensurate with age. The base with a crack and small losses. The pedestal is lost. Small nicks, dents and light scratches. Signs of weathering and erosion. One of the attributes is slightly loose. Few minor further losses. Superb, naturally grown patina with a smooth feel overall. Old wear.Weight: 13.7 kg (excl. stand)Dimensions: Height 41 cm (excl. stand) and 45.7 cm (incl. stand)With an associated hardwood stand mounted on a metal base. (2)The art of the Vijayanagar period, which spanned the fourteenth through the sixteenth centuries in South India, shows continuity with the earlier styles of the Chola Dynasty (9th-13th centuries). As the Muslim forces established rule in Northern India in the thirteenth century, the South defiantly reaffirmed their commitment to Hindu ideals and practices. The main city bearing the name of the period, Vijayanagar, or “City of Victory”, is a declaration of the South's triumph in overcoming a period of considerable chaos caused by the Northern invaders, and their link to the successful Chola dynasty was an affirmation that political, economic and cultural success would continue.Unlike the naturalism present in the sculptures from the Chola dynasty, Vijayanagar bronzes are more heavily stylized in line, texture and design. The naturalism of the previous era is replaced with a still and motionless quality, as if the figures were frozen in time. The faces and bodies are frontal and straight, every detail is arranged with deliberateness. Although the figures still retain corporeal suppleness, the style is mannered and intentional.Seated manifestations of the four-armed Vishnu with one leg pendant are extremely rare to encounter in bronze. Normally he is depicted standing. However, in a few avatars or incarnations of for instance Narasimha and Varaha one might find him in seated position. The reason for this particular phenomenon in bronze is not clear. On the other hand in stone he is represented regularly seated with one leg pendant. The more archaic rendering of this particular Vishnu bronze suggests a late date for its creation, around the fifteenth century.Auction result comparison: Compare a related copper alloy figure of Vishnu, 38.1 cm high, supported on a pedestal and forming a triad together with two smaller and separately cast figures of consorts, also dated to the Vijayanagar period, circa 14th-15th century, at Sotheby's New York in Indian, Himalayan & Southeast Asian Works of Art on 20 September 2021, lot 371, sold for USD 685,500.
Lot 371
A BRONZE ARROW VASE, TOUHU, XUANDE MARK AND PROBABLY OF THE PERIODChina, 15th-17th century. Heavily cast, the compressed globular body supported on a waisted foot with a stepped and galleried foot rim and rising to a tall cylindrical neck, flanked by lug handles with galleried rims repeated on the neck. Finely decorated with archaistic taotie to the body, divided by curved flanges and enclosed by leiwen bands, and to the upper neck, as well as a band of ruyi-heads to the shoulder, a neatly incised wood grain design to the lower neck and pendent palm blades with leiwen to the central neck.Provenance: Collection particuliere française.Condition: Very good condition with old wear and some casting irregularities, minuscule nicks, occasional light scratches, minor dents. Fine, naturally grown, dark patina.Weight: 3,753 gDimensions: Height 29.2 cmThe recessed base incised with a four-character mark Xuande nianzhi within a square and probably of the period.The form of this vase is inspired by archaic bronze vessels used for touhu (lit. 'pitch-pot'), a traditional East Asian game that requires players to throw arrows or sticks from a set distance into a large, sometimes ornate, vessel. The game had originated by the Warring States period, probably invented by archers or soldiers as a pastime during idle periods. It began as a game of skill or a drinking game at parties, but by the time it was described in a chapter of the Chinese Classic Book of Rites, it had acquired Confucian moral overtones. Initially popular among elites, it spread to other classes and remained popular in China until the end of the Qing Dynasty. Touhu was usually a contest between players, who had to throw arrows into the mouth or tubular handles of the vase, which was placed at an equal distance between two mats on which the players knelt. Touhu vases continued to be produced in the Song dynasty and later, made in various materials including bronze, cloisonne, and ceramic.Expert's note: The present touhu vase differs from other examples, commonly dated to the 16th and later centuries, in its elaborate incision work and distinctive mask decoration. Furthermore, the Xuande Emperor was known to be quite fond of the game, as evidenced by a painting of him playing touhu by Shan Xi (in the Palace Museum, Beijing). All this clearly suggests that the present vase may indeed date from the Xuande period.Literature comparison: Compare a related bronze arrow vase, also incised with a four-character Xuande mark, at Sotheby's Hong Kong, in Later Chinese Bronzes From The Collection of Gerard Hawthorn, on 2 December 2015, lot 34, where it is noted that “In Hawthorn's opinion, the quality of the casting, combined with the delicately incised mark, point to this vase being one of the rare Xuande reign-marked bronze vases which are indeed of the period”. 宣德款銅獸面紋投壺中國，十五至十七世紀。長直頸、兩側貫耳，圓鼓腹、高圈足，飾饕餮紋、蕉葉紋、雷紋與如意紋。此件貫耳投壺器形高大，皮色深栗，紋飾精美。來源：法國收藏。 品相：狀況極好，有舊磨損和鑄造瑕疵、微小的刻痕、局部輕微劃痕和凹痕。包漿自然細膩。 重量：3,753 克 尺寸：高29.2 厘米 圈足内“宣德年造”，或爲此時期。
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