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Lot 206
A rare gilt-bronze figure of AvalokiteshvaraSui/Tang DynastyThe deity seated on a lotus flower borne on a long stem, with her right leg crossed over her left knee, her left foot resting on a lotus flower, with serene expression in front of a circular mandorla, clad in cascading robes with beaded jewellery, 11cm (4 1/4in) high; together with an archaistic bronze bell, Song/Ming dynasty, 12.5cm (5in) high. (2).Footnotes:隋/唐 銅鎏金觀世音菩薩像 及 宋/明 銅仿古紋鐘 一組兩件Provenance: Mrs Gret Hasler (1895-1971), Winterthur, Switzerland, and thence by descentA trip to New York, Chicago and Washington in 1937 was the starting point for Mrs Gret Hasler's interest in Chinese art. This she continued until the Second World War by acquiring objects from dealers in Paris, Sweden and New York.來源：瑞士溫特圖爾Gret Hasler夫人（1895-1971）舊藏，並由後人保存迄今Gret Hasler夫人對中國藝術的興趣始於1937年的紐約、芝加哥和華盛頓之行。此後，她持續自巴黎、瑞典和紐約的古董商處購藏藝術品，直至第二次世界大戰後。Compare with a related gilt-bronze figure of Avalokiteshvara, Sui/Tang dynasty, which was sold at Sotheby's London, 13 May 2015, lot 24.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
Lot 233
A large bronze archaistic vase, huMing DynastyExpertly cast with flaring neck and stepped foot, the pear-shaped vase of square section and with strapwork dividing the body into four sections on each face with archaistic C-scrolls, all beneath a broad band of waves and further pommel and C-scrolls, the neck flanked by a pair of stylised-mythical-beast handles. 60cm (23 5/8in) high.Footnotes:明 仿古羽翅紋雙耳大壺The archaistic design on the present lot reflects the archaistic scholarly trends of the late Ming dynasty which continued into the Qing dynasty. The academic trend known as the 'search for evidence' (kaozheng 考證) movement began in the early 17th century. Although this movement originated in a renewed scholarly interest in ancient texts and inscriptions on archaic bronzes, as literati sought a more empirical approach to understanding their ancient heritage, it led to a greater fascination for decorative designs adopted from ancient bronzes too. The present lot is based on ancient bronzes from the Spring and Autumn period, such as one archaic vase with related dragon handles and strapwork, illustrated in Bronzes in the Palace Museum, Beijing, 1999, p.246.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
Lot 246
A GOLD-SPLASHED BRONZE LOBED TRIPOD INCENSE BURNER, LIDING17th/18th century The compressed body of lobed form raised on three low feet and set with two upright loop handles on the neck, the exterior decorated with irregular splashes of gold, with pierced wood and ivory cover and brocade stand. 14.5cm (5 5/8in) wide (3).Footnotes:十七/十八世紀 銅灑金朝冠耳三足鼎爐The unusual archaistic form of the present incense burner, modified into an three-lobed body, may have been based on an earlier design introduced during the later phases of the Ming dynasty as a variation to the classic forms of earlier periods; see P.Moss, Documentary Chinese Works of Art in Scholar's Taste, London, 1983, p.232.A related gold-splashed bronze lobed incense burner, Qing dynasty, cast with a compressed body of hexalobed form and upright handles, was sold at Bonhams, 13 May 2021, lot 84.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: Y ФY Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.Ф This lot contains or is made of ivory. The United States Government has banned the import of ivory into the USA.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Lot 247
A BRONZE CIRCULAR INCENSE BURNER, GUIXuande six-character mark, 17th/18th centuryThe vessel of compressed circular bombé form, the low-set belly tapering gracefully inward to an everted rim, the neck cast with a lion mask on both sides, the base cast with a six-character apochryphal Xuande mark. 18.5cm (7 2/8in) wide.Footnotes:十七/十八世紀 銅雙獅耳爐「大明宣德年製」楷書款For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Lot 250
A PARCEL-GILT BRONZE FIGURE OF BUDDHAMing DynastySeated in dhyanasana and wearing loose flowing robes open at the chest, the left hand held in dhyanamudra and the right hand extending downwards, the face with serene expression framed by tightly-curled hair, the robes incised with floral decoration on the hems enhanced with coloured lacquer decoration. 23.5cm (9 1/4in) high.Footnotes:明 局部鎏金銅佛坐像Provenance: a European private collection來源：歐洲私人收藏Compare with a related gilt-bronze figure of Buddha Shakyamuni, 16th/17th century, in the Chang Foundation, illustrated in Buddhist Images in Gilt Metal, Taipei, 1993, pp.34-35, no.10.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
Lot 251
A GILT COPPER-ALLOY FIGURE OF BUDDHA, TOGETHER WITH AN ASSOCIATED MANDORLATibet, 15th/16th centuryThe Buddha seated in dhyanasana on a double-lotus base, the hands held in bhumisparshamudra, the robes draped over the left shoulder, the face with elongated eyes flanked by pendulous earlobes, the hair in tight curls over the ushnisha and topped with a knop, the arched gilt-copper repoussé mandala decorated with a multitude of Bodhisattvas framing a reticulated central panel of Garuda flanked by naginis and makaras with curving tails, the central alcove painted red, with stand. The Buddha 12.7cm (5in) high, the mandorla 20.2cm (8in) high. (3).Footnotes:十五/十六世紀 銅鎏金佛陀像Provenance: a European private collection來源：歐洲私人收藏Akshobya is one of the five Dhyani Buddhas, each of which represents a different aspect of enlightenment. Akshobya is believed to transform ignorance into wisdom. Focusing on him during meditation is thought to negate negative imprints in this life caused by harmful deeds performed in past lives. Stylistically, the present Buddha compares with 15th century gilt sculptures of Akshobhya, in the Museum Rietberg, Zurich, illustrated in On the Path to Enlightenment, Zurich, 1995, p.72, no.30.Compare also with a similar gilt-bronze figure of Buddha, Tibet, 15th century, of similar size and proportions, which was sold at Christie's New York, 12 September 2012, lot 548.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
Lot 253
A gilt-bronze figure of AmitayusTibet, 16th centuryFinely cast seated crossed-legged on a double-lotus pedestal with the hands in dhyana mudra holding the eternal vase, his benign face flanked by a pair of long pendulous ears and centred by a raised urna, the head and domed ushnisha covered with tight curls and topped with a knop, wearing a robe adorned with an incised pattern draped across his left shoulder. 18.8cm (7 1/2in) high.Footnotes:十六世紀 銅鎏金無量壽佛像Amitayus is one of the most popular meditational deities in Vajravana Buddhism where he is highly revered for his longevity attributes, pure perception and awareness of the emptiness of phenomena. According to the 'Larger Sūtra of Immeasurable Life', compiled during the 1st or 2nd century AD, the infinite merits possessed by the deity resulted from the performance of good deeds in his past lives as a bodhisattva named Dharmakara. Having attained Enlightenment, the deity resided in the wondrous realm of Sukhavati.Compare with a related gilt-bronze figure of Amitayus, 16th century, wearing a more elaborate tiara but adorned in a similar way as the present example, illustrated by U.von Schroeder in Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, Hong Kong, 1981, p.440, fig.118b.A related gilt copper-alloy figure of Amitayus, Tibet, 16th century, was sold at Bonhams Hong Kong, 26 November 2019, lot 10.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
Lot 254
A COPPER-ALLOY COPPER-INLAID FIGURE OF A SAKYA LAMATibet, 16th centurySeated on a double-lotus throne, the hands raised in mudra in front of the chest, the robes sweeping around the body in rhythmic folds and fluttering across the top of the base, the hem incised with a scrolling brocade, the face of serene expression beneath finely-incised hair. 11cm (4 3/8in) high.Footnotes:十六世紀 薩迦喇嘛銅像Published and Illustrated: O.Hoare, Portraits of the Masters: Bronze Sculptures of the Tibetan Buddhist Lineages, Part II, private publication, p.55, no.29.出版著錄：O.Hoare，《Portraits of the Masters: Bronze Sculptures of the Tibetan Buddhist Lineages》，卷二，頁55，編號29The present lot can be identified as belonging to the general field of Sakya imagery by the lotus throne and costume. The Sakya School has a strong tradition of sculpted portraiture and encouraged individually-cast portraits of the great Sakya masters, commissioned by themselves, their disciples, or spiritual disciples of later centuries. They were considered to have such well-known facial features and iconography (for those who made up their intended audience), that an inscription naming them would have been seen as unnecessary. The present lot is similar to another group of uninscribed Sakya imagery, illustrated in the first volume of Portraits of the Masters, Chicago, 2003, pls.79-82. Traditionally, those that have a youthful cast, such as the present lot, have suggested identification with Chogyal Pakpa (1235-1280) who achieved dazzling heights in scholarship, practice and career before dying at the age of 45.Compare with a related copper-alloy figure of a Sakya Lama, Tibet, 15th century, which was sold at Bonhams New York, 14 March 2017, lot 3280.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Lot 275
An exceptionally rare Imperial embroidered chestnut-ground silk 'dragon' robeYongzhengMeticulously worked on the front and back in couched gold thread, satin stitch tiny detail of seed stitch with nine powerful, five-clawed dragons clutching or pursuing flaming pearls amidst a profusion of hovering cranes vividly depicted in different poses, some holding a tally in their beaks, all on a densely deep blue-patterned ground of stylised wan emblems and above a lishu hem beneath a sea of tumultuous waves interspersed with elaborate pavilions, with original sleeve extension and midnight-blue cuffs and collar decorated with further dragons and clouds.205.3cm (80 6/8in) wide x 138.5cm (54 1/2in) long.Footnotes:清雍正 御製香色地繡彩雲金龍「海屋添籌」紋袍Provenance: Linda Wrigglesworth Ltd., London, 1994An Australian private collection來源：倫敦古董商Linda Wrigglesworth Ltd.，1994年澳洲私人收藏This remarkable robe, notable for its exquisite and complex embroidery, vivid depictions of cranes and most unusual terrestrial diagram, made of elegant pavilions floating above rolling waves, was probably made for a First Rank Prince, one of the sons of the Emperor. A closely-related embroidered chestnut-ground robe, dated to 1738, excavated from the tomb of Prince Guo (1797-1738), seventeenth son of the Kangxi Emperor, is similarly embroidered with vivid designs of five-clawed dragons, cranes carrying tallies in their beaks and pavilions on lattice ground, illustrated by J.Vollmer, Imperial Silks. Ch'ing Dynasty Textiles in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Chicago, 2000, p.143, no.42.According to the 'Illustrated Regulations for the Ritual Paraphernalia of the Imperial Court 'Huangchao liqi tushi 皇朝禮器圖式, edited in 1759, the brown colour for garments, qiuxiangse, was one of the five Imperial shades of yellow which could only be used by the innermost family circle of the Emperor; see J.Vollmer, Ruling from the Dragon Throne: Costumes of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Berlekey, CA, 2002, pp.85.This exceptional robe may have been worn by the Imperial family member during birthday celebrations. The auspicious combination of the sea hai, the pavilions wu and the tallies chou carried by the cranes underscore the auspicious wish for long life, forming the rebus Haiwu Tianchou 海屋添籌, which can be translated as 'Adding tallies to the Immortal's abode above the sea'. The literary origin of the scene originated in 'Conversations of Three Old Men', from the 'Collected Writings by Su Dongpo' Dongpo zhilin 海屋添籌, by the Northern Song scholar Su Shi (1037-1101 AD). During one chance meeting of three Immortals, the topic of age was broached. Each one of the sages tried their best to exaggerate their own great age. The second sage famously boasted, 'After every cycle of the sea drying up and becoming mulberry fields, I put a strip of bamboo in my house as a counter and now the tallies have already filled ten houses'. By the Qing dynasty, when pun rebus design became increasingly popular and the character chou 筹 for bamboo strip counter acquired a pun on shou 寿 meaning longevity, the Haiwu Tianchou 海屋添籌 phrase became a popular allusion conveying the birthday wish 'May the length of your life be eternally prolonged 'Hai wu tian shou 海屋添寿'.The term 'sea house', haiwu, probably referred to Kunlun, the fabled fairyland of the Immortals, rising from the Oceans of Eternity which is often represented by a pavilion or mansion built atop an isle, with refined caves and lavish gardens full of propitious flowers and plants, ponds made of gold and trees made of gemstones. Imperishable and magnificent in its loftiness, this land was the perfect goal of the adept's quest for Immortality; see Wu Hung, 'Mapping Early Daoist Art: The Visual Culture of Wudoumi Dao', in S.Little, Taoism and the Arts of China, Berkeley, 2000, p.85. Cranes were also considered important constituents of Kunlun. As birds with a long life span, they were deemed celestial beings, symbolising longevity, wisdom and divine grace; see M.Wan, 'Emperor Jiajing and His Auspicious Words', in Archives of Asian Art, vol.57, pp.95-120 and P.Sturman, Cranes above Kaifeng: The Auspicious Image at the Court of Huizong, in Ars Orientalis, 1990, p.33-68. Reinforcing the wish for extended happiness to last for eternity, the blue fret ground, so finely embroidered on the present robe, is an endless pattern incorporating the leiwen designs, meaning ten-thousand, thus forming the pun for 'May ten-thousand generations be granted happiness'.The combination of cranes carrying tallies, pavilions and Immortal figures became a popular subject decorating objects destined for use by the Qing Court during the Yongzheng reign. See a doucai bowl, Yongzheng mark and period, in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, illustrated by R.Kerr, Chinese Art and Design, London, 1997, p.57; see also a blue and white dish, Chenghua mark but Yongzheng period, from the Cleveland Museum of Art, acc.no.1989.315. See also an 18th century kesi silk panel, Ming dynasty, embroidered with cranes carrying tallies, hovering above pavilions floating in waters, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, acc.no.GU-SI-000068-00000.'Dragon robes' were supreme significant social markers representing access to power. The right to wear such garments depended on rank and status. The Manchu rulers of the Qing dynasty were keen on projecting an evocative and powerful image of themselves, and their Court costumes conveyed legitimacy and heritage. Despite their initial reluctance to wear the same type of robes as their Ming predecessors, by the reign of the Kangxi Emperor, the Manchu elites were keen wearers of richly-ornamented 'dragon' robes on semi-formal Court occasions and official duties.In Han Chinese thought, the five-clawed dragon was the quintessential symbol of Imperial power, embodying royalty, dominion and expressing the visual metaphor of the good ruler who behaved wisely for the wellbeing of his subjects. Capable of flying high in the sky and diving back into the sea, dragons were regarded as intermediaries between Heaven and Earth and credited with extraordinary powers that compared to those of the Emperor. Even the number nine, for the dragons depicted on the present robe, is highly evocative and likened to the power of Heaven. The multiple of three threes, nine has a long association with the Emperor. In addition, the 'Records of the Grand Historian' Shiji, completed during the first century BC, recounts that, having tamed the floods that once engulfed the land, the mythical Emperor Yu divided the territory into the Nine Provinces and collected bronze in tribute from each one. Thereafter he cast the metal into nine large tripod cauldrons. These vessels thus were at the heart of ruler's possessions and symbolic conveyers of power.Stylistically, the five-clawed front-facing dragons and trailing wispy clouds of the present robe closely compare with their counterpart woven on an Imperial yellow-ground kesi robe, Yongzheng, in the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, acc.no.42.8.11.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Lot 282
AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE IMPERIAL DOUBLE-SIDED EMBROIDERED SILK 'DRAGON' ROBE, JIFUEarly 19th century Meticulously worked on both the outer and inner sides in satin stitch and coloured threads with nine writhing five-clawed resplendent blue dragons clutching or pursuing flaming pearls amidst dense trailing scrolls of five-coloured clouds interspersed with bats, all above the terrestrial diagram rising from rolling waves and lishui stripe at the hem, all picked out in vibrant shades of blue, aubergine, yellow, coral-red and green, reserved on a deep apricot ground, the matching dark-blue-ground collar and cuffs worked with further blue dragons amidst bats, clouds and waves.205cm (80 6/8in) wide x 156cm (61 1/2in) long.Footnotes:十九世紀早期 御製藍地雙面繡彩雲龍紋吉服袍Provenance: Linda Wrigglesworth Ltd., LondonA distinguished New York private collection, acquired from the above on 6 April 1994.來源：倫敦古董商Linda Wrigglesworth Ltd.紐約顯赫私人收藏，於1994年4月6日購自上者Superbly embroidered on both the inner and outer surface with nine lively five-clawed dragons riding the heavens, the present robe is a rare and remarkable example of its type and would have most probably, been worn by a Third or Fourth Rank Prince.Double-sided robes displaying such an impeccable and detailed embroidery and meticulous attention to detail, noted in the animated expressions of the dragons and their overlapping scales, exquisitely executed in various shades of blue to convey the impression of depth, are obvious features of the most exquisite garments reserved for the highest-ranking members of Qing society. Furthermore, the depictions of dragons clutching, rather than chasing, flaming pearls, also suggest that the wearer would have been one of the most immediate family members of the Emperor. According to the 'Illustrated Regulations for the Ritual Paraphernalia of the Imperial Court' Huangchao Liqi Tushi 皇朝禮器圖式, edited in 1759, blue was the colour worn by the Third and Fourth Degree Princes; see J.Vollmer, C.Hall and Lee Cheor Lin, Power Dressing. Textiles for Rulers and Priests from the Chris Hall Collection, Singapore, 2006, p.147. In Han Chinese thought, the five-clawed dragon pursuing or clutching the flaming pearl was the quintessential symbol of Imperial power, embodying royalty, dominion and expressing the visual metaphor of the good ruler who behaved wisely for the wellbeing of his subjects. Capable of flying high in the sky and diving back into the sea, dragons were regarded as intermediaries between Heaven and Earth and credited with extraordinary powers that compared to those of the Emperor. Even the number nine, for the dragons depicted on the present robe, is highly evocative and likened to the power of Heaven. The multiple of three threes, nine has a long association with the Emperor. In addition, the 'Records of the Grand Historian' Shiji, completed during the first century BC, recounts that, having tamed the floods that once engulfed the land, the mythical emperor Yu divided the territory into the Nine Provinces and collected bronze in tribute from each one. Thereafter he cast the metal into nine large tripod cauldrons. These vessels thus were at the heart of ruler's possessions and symbolic conveyers of power.At the Qing Court the colour blue had a ritual significance, as it was associated with the most important rites at the Altar of Heaven, where the Emperor performed sacrifices at the Winter Solstice and prayed for good harvest and rain during the summer months. It is possible, therefore, that the present robe may have been worn on the occasion of a ritual at the Temple of Heaven. The Imperial Regulations confirmed the importance of a new type of robe, the jifu or longpao, as semi-formal Court wear and brought the cosmic purpose of Imperial rule into sharp focus. The careful arrangement of sinuous dragons writhing amid clouds and above the universal ocean washing against the earth mountain, quickly transcended the political and ethnic priorities of Imperial government to become universal symbols of the Empire. Dragon robes thus became supreme significant social markers representing access to power. The right to wear such garments was dependent on rank and status. The Manchu rulers of the Qing dynasty were keen on projecting an evocative and powerful image of themselves, and their Court costumes conveyed legitimacy and heritage. Despite their initial reluctance to wear the same type of robes as their Ming predecessors, by the reign of the Kangxi Emperor, the Manchu elites were keen wearers of richly-ornamented 'dragon' robes on semi-formal Court occasions and official duties.The Qing robes, however, had their own distinctive shapes and trimmings. For example, the slits appearing at the centre seams, at the front and back hem, as well at the sides, were Manchu innovations that made it comfortable for the garment to be worn during riding. In addition, 'dragon' robes were secured at the waist with ceremonial belts suspending narrow and straight streamers, and sometimes, purses. Other conspicuously-displayed accessories further identified Manchu dress, such as a hat, a surcoat and a necklace; see V.Garrett, Chinese Dress From the Qing Dynasty to the Present, 2008, North Clarendon VT, pp.16-17.The impeccable quality and style of the embroidery closely compare with an Imperial double-sided yellow-ground robe, Qianlong, also decorated with similar blue dragons, from the Qing Court Collection in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated by Ming Wilson, Imperial Chinese Robes from the Forbidden City, London, 2010, p.46-47, no.46. An Imperial blue-ground kesi silk robe, Qianlong, also from the Qing Court Collection, decorated with nine blue dragons, is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures from the Palace Museum. Costumes and Accessories of the Qing Court, Shanghai, 2006, no.37. See also a related Imperial chestnut-ground robe for a Prince, Jiaqing, with nearly-identical depictions of blue dragons, illustrated by J.Vollmer, Dressed to Rule. 18th century Court Attire in the Mactaggart Art Collection, Edmonton, AB, 2007, p.10-11, no.2005.5.79.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
Lot 286
A RARE IMPERIAL APRICOT-GROUND EMBROIDERED SILK WOMAN'S 'DRAGON' ROBEMid 19th century Finely worked on the front and back in satin stitch and couched gold threads with nine writhing five-clawed dragons pursuing flaming pearls amidst dense trailing scrolls of five-coloured clouds interspersed with bats, all above the terrestrial diagram and the lishui stripe at the hem picked out in vibrant shades of blue, yellow, red, coral and green, all reserved on a deep apricot ground, the matching dark-blue-ground collar and cuffs worked with further dragons amidst further bats, clouds and waves, dragons bands, and nine dragons amidst further bats, clouds and waves, lined in a blue support silk. 186cm (73 2/8in) wide x 133.5cm (52 2/8in) long.Footnotes:十九世紀中葉 御製杏黃緞繡暗八仙紋龍袍Provenance: a distinguished Belgian private collection來源：比利時顯赫私人收藏The delicate tailoring and vivid depictions of dragons clutching flaming pearls, suggest that this robe would have been worn by an Imperial Manchu consort. According to the 'Illustrated Regulations for the Ritual Paraphernalia of the Imperial Court' Huangchao liqi tushi 皇朝禮器圖式, edited in AD 1759, the apricot-orange colour xinghuang of this fine robe was one of the 'Five Imperial Yellows' that could only be worn by the Heir Apparent to the Emperor, as well as Princes and Princesses of the First Rank and Imperial Consorts of the Second and Third Degree; see M.Medley, The Illustrated Regulations for Ceremonial Paraphernalia of the Ch'ing Dynasty, London, 1982, and L.Wrigglesworth, Imperial Wardrobe, Berkeley, 2002, pp.14-30.The 'Regulations' confirmed the importance of a new type of robe, the jifu or longpao, as semi-formal Court wear and brought the cosmic purpose of Imperial rule into sharp focus. The careful arrangement of sinuous dragons writhing amid clouds and above the universal ocean washing against the earth mountain, quickly transcended the political and ethnic priorities of Imperial government to become universal symbols of the Empire.Dragon robes thus became supreme significant social markers representing access to power. The right to wear such garments was dependent on rank and status. The Manchu rulers of the Qing dynasty were keen on projecting an evocative and powerful image of themselves, and their Court costumes conveyed legitimacy and heritage. Despite their initial reluctance to wear the same type of robes as their Ming predecessors, by the reign of the Kangxi Emperor, the Manchu elites were keen wearers of richly-ornamented 'dragon' robes on semi-formal Court occasions and official duties.In Han Chinese thought, the five-clawed dragon was the quintessential symbol of Imperial power, embodying royalty, dominion and expressing the visual metaphor of the good ruler who behaved wisely for the wellbeing of his subjects. Capable of flying high in the sky and diving back into the sea, dragons were regarded as intermediaries between Heaven and Earth and credited with extraordinary powers that compared to those of the Emperor. Even the number nine, for the dragons depicted on the present robe, is highly evocative and likened to the power of Heaven. The multiple of three threes, nine has a long association with the Emperor. In addition, the 'Records of the Grand Historian' Shiji, completed during the first century BC, recounts that, having tamed the floods that once engulfed the land, the mythical Emperor Yu divided the territory into the Nine Provinces and collected bronze in tribute from each one. Thereafter he cast the metal into nine large tripod cauldrons. These vessels thus were at the heart of a ruler's possessions and symbolic conveyers of power.The Qing robes, however, had their own distinctive shapes and trimmings. For example, the slits appearing at the centre seams, at the front and back hem, as well at the sides, were Manchu innovations that made it comfortable for the garment to be worn during riding. In addition, dragon robes were secured at the waist with ceremonial belts suspending narrow and straight streamers, and sometimes, purses. Other conspicuously-displayed accessories further identified Manchu dress, such as a hat, a surcoat and a necklace; see V.Garrett, Chinese Dress From the Qing Dynasty to the Present, 2008, North Clarendon VT, pp.16-17.Compare with a similar apricot-ground silk 'dragon' robe, mid-19th century, illustrated by V.Garret, Chinese Dress. From the Qing Dynasty to the Present, Berkeley, 2008, p.32, fig.49.A related apricot-ground formal Court silk 'dragon' robe, jifu, mid-19th century, was sold at Christie's London, 12 May 2017, lot 290.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Lot 304
A MAGNIFICENT AND RARE CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL AND GILT-BRONZE TRIPOD 'CRANES' INCENSE BURNER AND COVERQianlongImpressively cast and supported on the shoulders of three cranes, the globular body colourfully enamelled with a continuous scene of a lotus pond, depicting swimming, flying, resting and pecking egrets amongst foliate lotus leaves and upright sprays of lotus blossoms beside craggy rocks and patchy grass, all beneath a gilt band of lotus lappets to the waisted neck, flanked by a pair of finely-cast handles in the form of a sinuous five-clawed dragon grasping an enamelled Shou-character roundel, the reticulated domed cover finely decorated with three large ruyi-shaped lappets enamelled with lotus flower heads surmounted by a gilt bronze bud-shaped finial meticulously cast with a writhing five-clawed dragon amidst scrolling clouds. 86.4cm (34in) high. (2).Footnotes:清乾隆 銅胎掐絲琺瑯鷺蓮圖鶴壽三足大熏爐Provenance: a European private collectionBonhams London, 10 November 2016, lot 96A UK private collection來源：歐洲私人收藏倫敦邦瀚斯，2016年11月10日，拍品編號96英國私人收藏The Qianlong Emperor was a keen collector of objects of the past, advocating to restore ancient ways, suggesting that craftsmen turn to antiquity for models which would enable them to imbue their designs with simplicity and honesty in order to achieve refinement and elegance.The present vessel is a magnificent example of the Qianlong period, combining the archaistic form derived from the Shang and Zhou dynasties ding ritual vessel, with the opulent taste of the Qing Court, utilising the vibrantly-colourful cloisonné enamel embellished with the gilt bronze dragon finial and handles. The master craftsman has further elevated the vessel, both in height and in extravagance by using three long-legged cranes instead of cabriole legs as supports.The magnificent vessel is imbued with auspicious associations as often seen on other Imperial works of art. The cranes symbolise Immortality and are often shown as companions to Shoulao, the God of Longevity. Paintings of cranes had been popular in the Imperial Court since the Northern Song dynasty, when the Huizong Emperor (1082-1135) himself painted an iconic handscroll, 'Auspicious Cranes', now preserved in the Liaoning Provincial Museum, Shenyang, and illustrated by J.Cahill, 3000 Years of Chinese Painting, New Haven, 1997, p.123, fig.114. Cranes were also a recurring subject in the paintings of the Jesuit Court artist Giuseppe Castiglione (1688-1766). Further symbolism is imbued in the lotus, as one of the Eight Buddhist Emblems, and bajixiang and its association with purity.Compare with a similar pair of cloisonné enamel incense burners and covers with crane supports bearing similar dragon handles, Qianlong, which were sold at Bonhams Hong Kong, 4 December 2008, lot 202. See also a similar pair of cloisonné enamel incense burners and covers with crane supports but with upright cloisonné enamel handles, Qianlong, in the British Museum, London, one of which is illustrated by E.S.Rawski and J.Rawson, eds., China: The Three Emperors 1662-1795, London, 2005, pl.304; for another similar example see H.Brinker and A.Lutz, Chinese Cloisonné: The Pierre Uldry Collection, New York, 1989, pl.323; and compare with a pair similar to the British Museum example, which was sold at Sotheby's New York, 18 March 2014, lot 359.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Lot 321
AN ARCHAISTIC PALE GREEN JADE VASE, HUQianlongThe vessel of flattened baluster shape rising from a stepped foot to a waisted neck flanked by a pair of archaistic chilong handles below the lipped rim, the body finely carved on each side with a large taotie mask, the stone of pale green tone with a few dark brown and green inclusions, with a spinach-green jade stand supported by four ruyi feet. With the stand 15.5cm (6in) high. (2).Footnotes:清乾隆 青白玉浮雕仿古紋瓶The taotie masks on the present jade vase, based on ancient bronze vessels, show the enthusiasm at Court for archaism. The Qianlong Emperor proposed to 'restore ancient ways', referring to the view of ancient culture as having intrinsic moral qualities of sincerity, simplicity and happy exuberance. For this purpose the Emperor instructed the Court to collect drawings of antiquities, such as the Xiqing gujian (Catalogue of Xiqing Antiquities). Jade carvers were thus encouraged to study archaic bronze vessels in the Qing Court Collection or in illustrated woodblock prints, and adapting them to the medium of jade; see Chang Li-tuan, The Refined Taste of the Emperor: Special Exhibition of Archaic and Pictorial Jades of the Ch'ing Court, Taipei, 1997, pp.49-50.Compare with a related white jade incense tool vase, with archaistic motifs, Qianlong, which was sold at Bonhams London, 5 November 2020, lot 141.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Lot 348
A PAIR OF FLAMBÉ-GLAZED SQUARE PEAR-SHAPED VASES, FANGHUGuangxu incised six-character marks and of the periodThe form inspired by the early bronze prototypes, with indented corners, applied with rectangular lug handles, and set on raised feet, the bodies moulded to each side with peach shaped panels, covered in a lustrous red glaze with darker striations and paling to a creamy-blue tone at the edges, handles and interiors. Each 30.5cm (12in) high. (2).Footnotes:清光緒 窯變釉貫耳方瓶一對「大清光緒年製」楷書刻款See a very similar flambé-glazed square vase, Guangxu incised six-character mark and of the period, from the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Shanghai, 1999, p.207, no.186. Compare with a single flambé-glazed square vase, Guangxu incised six-character mark and of the period, which was sold at Sotheby's New York, 11 September 2019, lot 936.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
Lot 71
AN ARCHAISTIC SMOKY ROCK CRYSTAL BELL19th centuryCarved in low relief around the exterior with a central register with an eight-character inscription denoting the Eight Triagrams, bagua, between taotie masks above and pendent cicada blades around the base, surmounted by an arched handle with mythical-beast-head terminals suspending a loose ring, the stone of smoky-brown tone. 8.6cm (3 1/2in) high excluding the ring.Footnotes:十九世紀 水晶仿古紋鐘Provenance: Parry Collection, London, and thence by descent來源：倫敦Parry家族收藏，並由後人保存迄今The present bell with its archaistic design was inspired by early bronze ritual vessels. The use of archaistic forms and designs was advocated by the Qianlong Emperor who called on craftsmen to draw inspiration from antiquity. A related archaistic agate bell, Qianlong, was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 8 October 2013, lot 3336.本例器型及紋飾以上古青銅禮器為濫觴，肩飾饕餮紋，腰以篆書刻「乾、坎、艮、震、巽、離、坤、兌」一周，下飾蟬紋，亦融合了乾隆以來所推崇的復古風格。香港蘇富比曾於2013年10月8日售出一例清乾隆瑪瑙交龍鈕鐘，拍品編號3336，可資比對。For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Lot 48
A VERY RARE LARGE GOLD-SPLASHED BRONZE INCENSE BURNER FOR THE ISLAMIC MARKET, GUIXuande mark, 17th/18th centuryThe deep vessel with rounded sided gently curving inwards and rising to the flaring rim, the upper body crisply cast around the exterior with a broad band of taotie masks flanked by stylised dragons and birds reserved on diaper grounds, above a raised inscription in Arabic to each side, reading: lā ʾilāha ʾillā -llāh, muḥammadun rasūlu llāh ('There is no God but God, and Muhammad is the Prophet of God'), flanked by a pair of C-form handles issuing from dragon heads, raised on a stepped spreading foot with raised bow-strings, the recessed base cast with an apocryphal Xuande twelve-character seal mark reading: Xuande ernian Zhou Yi wei Xiuhuang Zhuren Zhi, 'Made by Zhou Yi for the master of Xiuhuang in the second year of the Xuande reign', all decorated with irregular gold splashes continuing onto the interior rim and over the underside. 30cm (11 3/4in) wide across the handles.Footnotes:十七/十八世紀 灑金仿古夔龍紋阿拉伯文簋 「宣德二年周義為修篁主人製」篆書款Provenance:Parry Collection, London, and thence by descent來源：倫敦Parry家族收藏，並由後人保存迄今The present lot is remarkable for its combination of cultural inspirations, although both for religious purposes. The gui form and the archaistic design around the upper section and handles, were inspired by archaic bronze ritual vessels, which were made during the Shang and Zhou dynasties for sacrificial purposes to the ancestors. The prayer inscription on the lower register of the vessel is the Shahadah, one of the most important Muslim oaths or prayers. It is interesting to note, however, that the word rasul (Prophet) has been misspelled on each side of the vessel, most likely as a misinterpretation of the Arabic by the craftsmen in China. Bronze vessels with Arabic inscriptions were produced for the Chinese domestic market, for use both by foreign Muslims living in China and by the large population of Chinese Muslims. Chinese decorative arts with Arabic inscriptions range in date from the sixteenth century, with the majority made from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries. A number of Arabic-inscribed gold-splashed bronze wares collected by Randolph Berens, alongside other gold-splashed bronze wares of various forms as well as figures, were exhibited in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London in 1915, and published by E.Mew, 'Gold-splash Bronzes in the Collection of Mr. Randolph Berens', The Connoisseur, November 1915, pp.131-144, pls.10,11, 13, and 19.The 'gold-splashed' decoration was achieved by 'fire-gilding', a technique involving the application of gold in the form of a mercury/gold amalgam. Subsequently the vessel was heated to drive off the mercury, so that the small amount of gold was left adhering to the base metal. The process could then be repeated several times to build up thicker layers of gold. For an identical form incense burner but without the Arabic inscription, see Christie's Hong Kong, 4 October 2016, lot 50. For a large gold splashed bronze incense burner, 18th century, but with a different Arabic prayer, see Sotheby's Hong Kong, 30 October 2002, lot 350. Compare also a gold-splashed archaistic bronze censer, 17th/18th century, with the same Xuande mark as the present lot, which was sold at Sotheby's New York, 13 September 2017, lot 142.圓身深腹，近口沿處微斂，口沿微侈，龍首形環耳，附珥，下承弦紋圈足。器壁上部以精鑄錦地饕餮紋為飾，饕餮兩側為風格化之龍紋及鳳鳥紋，線條優雅俐落。本例造型以及器身上部復古紋樣均源自商周二代用於祭祀之青銅重器，而器壁下部所鑄阿拉伯銘文，意為「萬物非主，唯有真主，穆罕默德是真主的使者」，是穆斯林最為重要的禱詞之一。值得注意的是，器身兩側「先知」一詞均有誤，應為不熟悉阿拉伯文的中國工匠的所作。如此結合古代禮器與伊斯蘭宗教用器，文化意藴十分令人矚目。十七、十八世紀的中國內陸有大量來自海外或本地的穆斯林族群，這些帶有阿拉伯文銘文的銅器即為滿足其需要而生產。從十六世紀起，帶有阿拉伯文銘文的中國裝飾藝術品逐漸出現，但傳世物中多見十七至十九世紀的作品。 1915年，倫敦維多利亞和阿爾伯特博物館曾展出一批帶阿拉伯文銘文灑金銅器以及其他造型的灑金銅器，皆出自Randolph Berens私人收藏，見E.Mew著，〈Gold-splash Bronzes in the Collection of Mr. Randolph Berens〉，收錄於《The Connoisseur》，1915年11月，頁131-144，圖版10、11、13與19。 灑金是以所謂「火鍍金」工藝形成，即以金溶於水銀之中，形成金泥，塗於銅或銀表面加溫，使水銀蒸發令金飾附於器表，再重複該過程形成更厚的金飾層。與本拍品造型相似者，可參考香港佳士得於2016年10月4日售出一件清初灑金銅龍紋簋ঁ... For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Lot 49
A MAGNIFICENT AND VERY RARE PAIR OF ZITAN-FRAMED KINGFISHER FEATHER-INLAID 'LANDSCAPE' SCREENSQianlongEach exquisitely decorated with lavish use of turquoise-blue kingfisher feathers and other materials reserved against a luxurious velvet ground, depicting rugged mountain and lake landscapes dotted with pavilions and pagodas, the leaves, tree trunks and rocks all made from kingfisher feathers, one screen depicting a boy-attendant carrying a guqin to a seated sage below pine trees, with swirling clouds amidst the tall craggy peaks, the other screen with figures in a house gazing out to the lake with a sampan, all set in a shaped skillfully carved zitan frame carved with archaistic scrolls in low relief and stand pierced with floral sprays. 111.2cm (43 3/4in) high x 56.7cm (22 1/4in) wide x 31.2cm (12 1/4in) deep (2).Footnotes:清乾隆 紫檀邊座點翠山水人物圖插屏一對Provenance:H.E. Monsieur Aleksander Vlangali (1823-1908), Russian Ambassador Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary in China (1863-1873)Spink & Son Ltd., LondonMrs E. A. Parry (1879-1977), London, acquired from the above on 31 July 1926, and thence by descentPublished, Illustrated and Exhibited: Royal Academy of Arts, International Exhibition of Chinese Art, London, 1935-1936, pp.215-216, nos.2500 and 2511.來源：俄駐華公使亞歷山大·弗蘭加利（1823-1908）旧藏倫敦古董商Spink & Son Ltd.倫敦E. A. Parry夫人（1879-1977）舊藏，於1926年7月31日購自上者，並由後人保存迄今展覽著錄：皇家藝術學院，《中國藝術國際展覽會》，倫敦，1935-1936年，頁215-216，編號2500与2511Aleksander Vlangali descended from nobility of St. Petersburg. He participated as an officer in the Crimean War of 1853-1856. In the late 1850s he entered the Imperial Russian diplomatic service and was promoted in July 1863 to the position of the Russian Ambassador Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary in China, a position which he held until November 1873. In 1865 he was made Major General. 亞歷山大·弗蘭加利（Aleksander Vlangali）為出身於聖彼得堡的俄國貴族。曾作為軍官參加了 1853-1856年的克里米亞戰爭。十九世紀五十年代後期，任職俄羅斯帝國外交部門，並於1863年7月任命為俄駐華公使，直至1873年11月。1865年，亞歷山大被擢升為少將。This important pair of screens was included in the International Exhibition of Chinese Art held at the Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, London, in 1935-1936. This seminal exhibition had the patronage of their Majesties King George V and Queen Mary, and the President of the Chinese Republic. It included over 3,000 objects. These were loaned by the Chinese Government, including pieces shown for the first time outside China, objects from the collection of Sir Percival David, which were exhibited for the first time in public, pieces from the British Royal Collection, and from many important museums including the British Museum, V&A, the Louvre, Guimet, Cernuschi, Topkapi Saray, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Cleveland, Kansas City, Cologne, Dresden, and from notable private collectors including HRH Crown Prince of Sweden, Alan Barlow, R.C. Bruce, Buchanan-Jardine, Mr & Mrs Alfred Clark, Dr Leonard Gow, C.T. Loo, Carl Kempe, H.J. Oppenheim, Oscar Raphael, F. Schiller, Mr & Mrs Walter Sedgwick, A. Stoclet, S.D. Winkworth and Prof. W. Perceval Yetts - the roll call of the greatest collectors of Chinese art in the west in the 20th century. E.A. Parry loaned 6 pieces to the Exhibition, demonstrating the superb quality of the Collection and the high esteem in which it was held by the Exhibition Committee, which was directed by Sir Percival David. These pieces were admired to this date in the Parry family homes and this is the first time since the 1935-1936 Exhibition that they are seen in public once again. The remarkable screens demonstrate the exceptional artistry of the 18th century craftsmen reproducing idyllic landscapes in variety of materials and in the case of the present pair, utilising the brilliant enduring colours of kingfisher feathers meticulously inlaid within the design. Kingfisher feathers were admired and prized in ancient China, and as early as the Spring and Autumn period (770-475 BC) they adorned clothes and accessories. A Tang dynasty poem by Chen Zi'ang, 661-702 AD) reads: The halcyon kingfisher nests in the South Sea realm;Cock and hen in groves of jewelled trees; How could they know that the thoughts of lovely women; Covet them as highly as yellow gold?' The popularity of the use of the prized feathers in appliqué technique continued into the 18th century, with the majority of workshops specialising in utilising the feathers for decoration and in carving the precious zitan wood, located in Guangzhou. Such works were commissioned by the Qing Court and made as Imperial-tribute. Compare with a pair of related screens with kingfisher feather decoration, Qianlong, in the Shengyang Palace Museum, and a further panel in the Forbidden City, illustrated by B.Jackson, Kingfisher Blue: Treasures of an Ancient Chinese Art, Berkeley, Toronto, 2001, pp.30-31 and 186. See also three other screens decorated with kingfisher feathers, mid Qing dynasty, made in Guangzhou as Imperial-tribute, illustrated by Hu Desheng, Ming Qing Gu Gongting Jia Zhu Da Guan, vol.1, Beijing, 2006, nos.388, 394 and 396.The remarkable screens showing idyllic mountain landscapes and an attendant carrying a wrapped guqin to a scholar, were inspired by literati paintings and ideals. Images of the private retreat proliferated among the scholar-officials from the early Song dynasty, when visions of the natural hierarchy became metaphors for the well-regulated state. The scholars extolled the virtues of self-cultivation and asserted their identity as literati through poetry, calligraphy, and painting. The images of old trees, bamboo, rocks, and retirement retreats created by these scholar-artists became emblems of their character and spirit. Pine trees, for example, remaining green even during the winter, came to represent the sturdy and morally upright scholar. The conquering Manchu Emperors desired very much to show themselves as the custodians of Han Chinese culture and adopted it fully, including the ideals of literati from the Yangzi delta region. In addition to literati landscape paintings, the Qianlong Emperor also showed himself as a custodian and connoisseur of China's ancient heritage by championing archaism as both an aesthetic and intellectual movement. The superbly carved and prized zitan frames and stands follow the Qianlong Emperor's taste for archaism, utilising motifs seen on early ritual bronze vessels, such as taotie masks and S-shaped scrolls.With its smooth and silk-like texture, fine and dense grain and ... For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Lot 47
A FINE GOLD-SPLASHED BRONZE INCENSE BURNER, GUIXuande six-character mark, 17th centuryFinely cast on a short foot, with a raised band of crisp overlapping lotus petals to the rounded lower body, rising to the straight sides set with a pair of mythical-beast head handles, below a key-fret border around the rim, decorated around the exterior and base with thick irregular gold splashes against the chocolate-bronze tone of the vessel. 13.2cm (5 1/4in) wide across the handles.Footnotes:十七世紀 灑金銅簋式爐「大明宣德年製」楷書款 Provenance:Spink & Son Ltd., LondonMrs G. N. Parry (1923-2013), London, acquired from the above on 14 December 1960, and thence by descent來源：倫敦古董商Spink & Son Ltd.倫敦G. N. Parry夫人（1923-2013）舊藏，於1960年12月14日購自上者，並由後人保存迄今The form of the present lot is very rare amongst gold-splashed bronze wares. However, see a near identical form of a silver-inlaid bronze incense burner, 17th/18th century, which was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 2 December 2015, lot 67. Compare also with a related gold-splashed bronze censer, 17th/18th century, Xuande mark, which was sold at Sotheby's London, 6 November 2013, lot 214. See also a related gold-splashed bronze incense burner, gui, Xuande mark, Qing dynasty, which was sold at Bonhams London, 13 May 2021, lot 74.The 'gold-splash' decoration was achieved by 'fire-gilding', a technique involving the application of gold in the form of a mercury/gold amalgam. Subsequently the vessel was heated to drive off the mercury, so that the small amount of gold was left adhering to the base metal. The process could then be repeated several times to build up thicker layers of gold.直壁，獸耳，矮圈足。器腹下沿環以蓮瓣紋，口沿飾一週回紋，通體灑金。本例器型於灑金銅器中頗為少見，香港蘇富比曾於2015年12月2日售出一例十七/十八世紀銅錯銀蝙蝠祥雲紋瑞獅耳爐，同署「大明宣德年製」仿款，拍品編號67，是為數不多的可比對者。亦有倫敦蘇富比於2013年11月6日售出一例十七/十八世紀宣德款灑金銅銜環舖首耳簋式爐，拍品編號214；以及倫敦邦瀚斯與2021年5月13日售出一件清銅灑金簋式爐，拍品編號74，可資比對。灑金飾以所謂「火鍍金」工藝形成，即以金溶於水銀之中，形成金泥，塗於銅或銀表面加溫，使水銀蒸發令金飾附於器表，再重複該過程形成更厚的金飾層。For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Lot 42
A FINE AND RARE PAINTED ENAMEL AND GILT-BRONZE SQUARE VASEQianlongOf slender square section tapering form, delicately enamelled with cusped panels variously depicting Xiwangmu borne on clouds with a boy attendant offering a dish of peaches, and Magu with a further boy attendant in a rocky landscape, all on a bright yellow ground with a profusion of flower sprays and foliage, the neck with archaistic pendent lappets on a pink ground within key-fret bands, set with a pair of gilt bronze lion-mask handles, with hongmu stand. 16.5cm (6 1/2in) high. (2).Footnotes:清乾隆 銅胎畫琺瑯開光仕女圖長方形瓶Provenance:J. C. Vickery, LondonE. A. Parry (1879-1946), London, acquired from the above on 25 August 1924, and thence by descentPublished, Illustrated and Exhibited: Royal Academy of Arts, International Exhibition of Chinese Art, London, 1935-1936, p.186, no.2187.來源：倫敦古董商J. C. Vickery倫敦E. A. Parry（1879-1946）舊藏，於1924年8月25日購自上者，並由後人保存迄今展覽著錄：皇家藝術學院，《中國藝術國際展覽會》，倫敦，1935-1936年，頁186，編號2187This remarkable vase was included in the International Exhibition of Chinese Art held at the Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, London, in 1935-1936. This seminal exhibition had the patronage of their Majesties King George V and Queen Mary, and the President of the Chinese Republic. It included over 3,000 objects. These were variously loaned by the Chinese Government, including pieces shown for the first time outside China, objects from the collection of Sir Percival David, which were exhibited for the first time in public, pieces from the British Royal Collection, and from many important museums including the British Museum, the V&A, the Louvre, Guimet, Cernuschi, Topkapi Saray, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Cleveland, Kansas City, Cologne, Dresden, and by notable private collectors including HRH Crown Prince of Sweden, Alan Barlow, R.C. Bruce, Buchanan-Jardine, Mr & Mrs Alfred Clark, Dr Leonard Gow, C.T. Loo, Carl Kempe, H.J. Oppenheim, Oscar Raphael, F. Schiller, Mr & Mrs Walter Sedgwick, A. Stoclet , S.D. Winkworth and Prof. W. Perceval Yetts - a roll call of the greatest collectors of Chinese art in the West in the 20th century. E.A. Parry loaned 6 pieces to the Exhibition, demonstrating the superb quality of the Collection and the high esteem in which it was held by the Exhibition Committee, which was directed by Sir Percival David. These pieces were admired to this date in the Parry family homes and this is the first time since the 1935-1936 Exhibition that they are seen in public once again. During the Qianlong period, the southern port of Guangzhou (otherwise known as Canton) was the main trade entrepot between Europe and China. Influenced by European painted enamels and oil paintings, local craftsmen began producing a large number of painted enamel wares depicting foreign flowers, architecture and Western figures as well as Chinese Immortals and subject matter which were sent as tribute to the Imperial Court in Beijing. Apart from the Guangzhou workshops, a smaller number of painted enamel wares were also manufactured in the Imperial Workshops in the Forbidden City, Beijing, which were first established during the reign of the Kangxi Emperor.Xiwangmu, the Queen Mother of the West, shown on one side of the vase, is a Daoist deity often depicted with an assistant carrying a basket of peaches beside her, such as on the present lot. She has an orchard of peaches deep in the Kunlun mountains in the West, which when eaten bestow Immortality. Magu, shown on the other side, is another female Immortal associated with the elixir of life. She is often portrayed next to a basket of flowers or herbs with life-giving properties. Compare the painting of Xiwangmu with another similar female Immortal on a painted enamel vase, Qianlong seal mark and period, in the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Enamels, 5, Beijing, 2011, pp.106-107, no.72. Compare also the dense foliate scrolls with similar ones on two Imperial-tribute painted enamel vases, Qianlong seal marks and of the period, illustrated in Ibid., nos.119 and 120.本拍品曾借展1935至1936年於倫敦皇家藝術學院伯靈頓宮舉辦的中國藝術國際展覽會。這一史無前例的展覽得到了中英政府及雙方人士的大力支持，由雙方元首擔任名譽主持人，英王喬治五世和瑪麗王后為監理。展品共計三千餘件，中國政府應邀出借包括故宮文物在內的近千件藏品，也是藏品首次在中國境外展出；展覽還包括了英國皇室的中國文物收藏，以及來自世界各地重要博物館（如大英博物館、維多利亞和阿爾伯特博物館、盧浮宮、吉美博物館、賽努奇博物館、託卡比皇宮博物館、大都會藝術博物館、克利夫蘭藝術博物館、堪薩斯城納爾遜-阿特金斯藝術博物館、科隆博物館、德累斯頓博物館等）與著名私人藏家（如瑞典王儲、Alan Barlow爵士、R.C. Bruce、Buchanan-Jardine男爵、克拉克伉儷（Mr & Mrs Alfred Clark）、Leonard Gow博士、盧芹齋、卡爾·坎普（Carl Kempe）、H.J. Oppenheim、Oscar Raphael, F. Schiller、Walter Sedgwick伉儷、A. Stoclet、S.D. Winkworth、W. Perceval Yetts教授等）的公私收藏精品，名單幾乎囊括了二十世紀西方世界最為重要的中國藝術收藏家。 E.A. Parry向本次&... This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: YY Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Lot 57
A FINE AND RARE PAIR OF THREE-COLOUR CINNABAR LACQUER CARVED PRUNUS-SHAPED BOWLS AND COVERS, ZHADOUQianlongEach with an everted foliated rim, carved and decorated with cusped red cinnabar floral-cell cartouches and ruyi sceptres reserved on a greenish-black and yellow wan-diaper ground, the body and cover further decorated with red and coloured-lacquer floral-cell pattern bands, the gilt-bronze knop finials encircled by petal lappets and key-fret borders, the interiors and bases lacquered black. Each 15.7cm (6 1/4in) wide. (4).Footnotes:清乾隆 剔彩錦地紋帶蓋花口唾盂一對Provenance:Parry Collection, London, and thence by descent來源：倫敦Parry家族收藏，並由後人保存迄今Notable for the vigorous carving, precision of knifework and meticulous attention to detail, the present bowls and covers encapsulate the opulent style developed under the orders of the Qianlong Emperor, who took an active role in developing Court lacquerwares. The high standards achieved in lacquer production during the Qianlong reign also resulted from the Emperor's intervention by ordering ivory craftsmen from Guangzhou to Beijing to revive many techniques used in Ming lacquer carvings. These included the so-called 'three-colour-layered lacquer carving', ticai, a popular practice during the late Ming dynasty.A closely-related two-coloured cinnabar lacquer zhadou, mid Qing dynasty, in the Hall of the Three Rarities, Sanxitang, is illustrated in Imperial Furniture of Ming and Qing Dynasties: Classics of the Forbidden City, Beijing, 2008, p.340, no.373. Compare also with a related zhadou and cover, Qianlong, second half 18th century, illustrated by J.Ayers, Chinese and Japanese Works of Art in the Collection of Her Majesty the Queen, London, 2015, p.873, no.2011. Compare the layered carving technique with a three-coloured lacquer carved box and cover, 18th/19th century, illustrated in Carving the Subtle Radiance of Colors: Treasured Lacquerware in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 2008, p.164, no.180. See a single related carved red lacquer zhadou and cover, 18th century, which was sold at Christie's New York, 18 September 2015, lot 2096.折沿花口，折沿上有四處瓣形開光並剔出錦地紋為飾，開光之間髹以黃綠彩漆並治萬字錦地紋，其上各剔紅漆如意一柄。器身及器蓋同樣在三色彩漆之上剔出各式錦地紋帶。蓋鈕鎏金。器內及器底均髹黑漆。本例雕工細緻，紋飾精巧，呈現了乾隆年間流行的奢華風格。乾隆皇帝本人對宮廷漆器工藝及風格的發展有極大的影響。在其治下，廣東的牙雕工匠被徵調至內廷，明代漆雕的許多工藝也被恢復，清代漆器工藝在此時一度達到巔峰。其中一項被復原的明代漆雕技法為「剔彩」，即在器物上分層髹以不同顏色的漆，因此所剔紋樣即可呈現不同層次及色彩斑斕之效果。參考故宮三希堂陳設一例相似的清中期剔彩唾盂，圖見《明清宮廷家具》，北京，2008年，頁340，圖373。另一件可與之相較的清乾隆（十八世紀下半葉）帶蓋唾盂可見於J.Ayers著，《Chinese and Japanese Works of Art in the Collection of Her Majesty the Queen》，卷三，倫敦，2015年，頁873，編號2011。本品所運用之剔彩技法及幾何紋飾亦可比較一例十八/十九世紀剔彩八棱式盒，與收錄於《和光剔彩——故宮藏漆》，台北，2008年，頁164，編號180。紐約佳士得曾於2015年9月18日售出一例十八世紀剔紅牡丹梅紋錦地渣斗，拍品編號2096，可資比對。For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Lot 18
A VERY FINE GOLD AND SILVER-INLAID BRONZE TRIPOD INCENSE BURNER, LIDING17th/18th centuryThe tri-lobed body decorated with crisp silver and gold wire inlay forming archaistic motifs and taotie masks, supported on three slightly tapered legs decorated with stylised cicadas, the lipped rim and arched handles with key-fret borders, the interior and underside undecorated. 26cm (10 1/4in) high.Footnotes:十七/十八世紀 銅錯金銀饕餮紋鬲鼎式香爐Provenance:Spink & Son Ltd., LondonG. N. Parry (1917-1978), London, acquired from the above on 24 September 1959, and thence by descent來源：倫敦古董商Spink & Son Ltd.倫敦G. N. Parry（1917-1978）舊藏，於1959年9月24日購自上者，並由後人保存迄今The present liding is impressive for the exceptionally well executed archaistic design, utilising the entire three-lobed exterior of the vessel. The decorative technique of silver-wire inlay on bronze first appeared during the late Zhou dynasty, and was revived and became popular from the Song dynasty onwards when archaism became a predominant style in the production of artefacts. The dating of such gold and silver-inlaid bronze archaistic vessels has been a subject of debate over the past years, with opinions and dating ranging from the Song to the Qing dynasty. See a closely related gold and silver-inlaid bronze incense burner, liding, dated as Song dynasty, which was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 8 October 2014, lot 3335. Compare, however, with a related but smaller silver-wire inlaid tripod vessel, ding, 17th/early 18th century, illustrated by M.Maucuer, Bronzes de la Chine Imperiale des Song aux Qing, Paris, 2013, p.101, no.52. Compare also with a related but smaller silver-wire inlaid bronze tripod censer, ding, 16th century, which was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 3 June 2015, lot 3315. For a further related example, see a smaller silver-wire inlaid bronze archaistic tripod censer, liding, 18th century, which was sold at Christie's New York, 26 March 2010, lot 1320.折沿方唇，立耳，袋狀腹分襠，柱足微斂。錯金銀所呈現之饕餮紋樣條俐落悅目。柱足飾蟬紋，盤口及立耳覆回紋，內壁及底部則素面無飾。本例裝飾精湛，造型優雅，利用袋狀腹之起伏造型凸顯獸面輪廓之設計尤為巧妙。錯金銀工藝最早可見於周代晚期，並隨復古風格於宋代興起時再次流行。以錯金銀為飾之仿古器皿的年代在過去數年中一直頗受爭論，一般認為該類器年代最早可至宋，最晚則至清代。香港蘇富比曾於2014年10月8日售出一例宋代銅錯金銀饕餮紋沖天耳鼎式爐，拍品編號3335，其工藝及紋飾均與本品類似。亦可參見一座尺寸稍遜的十七/十八世紀早期錯銀鼎式香爐，見M.Maucuer著，《Bronzes de la Chine Imperiale des Song aux Qing》，巴黎，2013年，頁101，編號52。另有一件明十六世紀銅錯銀饕餮紋鼎及一清十八世紀銅錯銀鬲鼎式香爐，分別售出於香港佳士得，2015年6月3日，拍品編號3315，及紐約佳士得，2010年3月26日，拍品編號1320，亦可資比對。For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Lot 56
A SUPERB JADEITE ARCHAISTIC INCENSE BURNER AND COVER, FANGDINGQianlong seal mark, late Qing DynastyOf archaistic form, crisply carved with taotie masks on the straight sides, the corners with flanges, set with a pair of mythical-beast-head handles suspending loose rings, all supported on four cabriole feet, the rim with a pair of square arched handles, the cover surmounted by a Buddhist lion, the stone of vibrant apple-green tone on one side and attractive translucent frost-white tone on the others, hardwood stand. 13.3cm (5 1/4in) high. (3).Footnotes:清晚期 翡翠饕餮紋獅鈕活環耳方鼎「乾隆年製」篆書刻款Provenance:Parry Collection, London, and thence by descent來源：倫敦Parry家族收藏，並由後人保存迄今Meticulously carved in the archaistic shape of a food vessel, the present lot is a remarkable example of jadeite carving displaying the lapidary craftsman's ability to emphasise the finest qualities of the jadeite stone and its high degree of frost-like translucency through the elaborate archaistic designs of taotie masks and auspicious creatures.The fangding shape and decorative designs of the present vessel, including the taotie masks, ring-handles and stylised dragons, are all inspired by early bronze ritual food vessels, which were made during the Shang and Zhou dynasties. For an example of an archaic bronze fangding, Shang dynasty, in the Qing Court Collection, see Bronzes in the Palace Museum, Beijing, 1999, p.51, no.22.The archaistic style recalls the Qianlong Emperor's fascination with antiquity and archaism. Proposing to 'restore ancient ways', referring to the view of ancient culture as having intrinsic qualities of sincerity, simplicity and happy exuberance, the Emperor instructed the Court to collect drawings of antiquities, such as the 'Catalogue of Xiqing Antiquities' Xi Qing Gu Jian, compiled in 1755, which provided the craftsmen with a source of inspiration in jade carving; see Chang Li-tuan, The Refined Taste of the Emperor: Special Exhibition of Archaic and Pictorial Jades of the Ch'ing Court, Taipei, 1997, pp.49-50. See two related examples of jadeite archaistic fangding and covers in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, the first, Qing dynasty (dated as Qianlong), and the second, a larger example, Qing dynasty, illustrated by H.R.Bishop, The Heber R. Bishop Collection of Jade and other Hard Stones, Handbook no.10, New York, 1909, pp.42 and 51 (acc.no.02.18.499a,b; and acc.no.02.18.428a,b). See also an archaistic jadeite fangding and cover, 19th century, in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, illustrated by J.C.S.Lin, The Immortal Stone: Chinese Jades from the Neolithic to the Twentieth Century, Cambridge, 2009, p.123.A related but larger (18.5cm high) jadeite archaistic vessel and cover, fangding, late Qing dynasty, and a jadeite archaistic wine cup, jue, late Qing dynasty/early 20th century, were sold at Christie's, Hong Kong, 30 May 2012, lots 4275 and 4276. A jadeite archaistic censer and cover, 19th century, was sold at Sotheby's London, 10 November 2010, lot 116.以翡翠大料剖制琢成，長方形，雙沖耳，口下漸收，下承四夔龍足。有蓋，蓋面隆起，蓋頂雕獅戲繡球為鈕。腹部浮雕饕餮紋，兩側雕獅首銜環耳，雕工精湛，古樸莊重。玉材選料考究，質地明淨細膩，晶瑩剔透，種水上乘，且色澤尤為殊妙，器身正面翠色，碧綠濃艷，背面半透明，清和溫潤，白綠兩色相互映襯，相得益彰。本例器形及紋飾源自商周青銅器方鼎。清代皇室承接了明代的宮廷收藏，其中包括大量高古青銅器；如清宮舊藏一例商代青銅鼎，收錄於《故宮青銅器》，北京，1999年，頁51，編號22。乾隆皇帝十分推崇自古物中取材器物造型與設計，其慕古之情對清代裝飾藝術之影響甚深。乾隆十四年，乾隆皇帝諭令將內府庋藏的鼎、尊、彝等青銅器分門別類，仿效《考古圖》、《宣和博古圖》體例薈輯成《西清古鑑》，成為當時有史以來規模最大的古銅器圖譜，相關討論可參見張麗端《宮廷之雅：清代仿古及畫意玉器特展圖錄》，台北，1997，頁49-50。紐約大都會藝術博物館館藏兩例清代翡翠仿古紋方蓋鼎，藏品編號02.18.499a,b與02.18.428a,b，收錄於H.R.Bishop著，《The Heber R. Bishop Collection of Jade and other Hard Stones》，手冊10，紐約，1909年，頁42與51。另見劍橋大學菲茨威廉博物館館藏一例十九世紀翡翠方鼎，收錄於J.C.S.Lin著，《The Immortal Stone: Chinese Jades from the Neolithic to the Twentieth Century》，劍橋，2009年，頁123。參考一例清晚期翠玉饕餮紋獅鈕活環耳方鼎，較本例形制相仿惟體積稍大（通高18.5厘米），及一例清晚期翠玉雕獸面紋爵，同售於香... This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: YY Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Lot 39
A FINE AND RARE WHITE JADE 'DRAGON AND YOUNG' POURING VESSEL, YIQianlongThe deep rounded sides carved with a pouring lip to one end and a chilong handle to the other clambering up the side of the vessel, with its head resting at the rim, the sides carved in high relief with sinuous, striding chilong amongst incised wispy clouds, the lustrous stone of white even tone. 14cm (5 1/2in) long.Footnotes:清乾隆 白玉雕蒼龍教子匜Provenance:Spink & Son Ltd., LondonParry Collection, London, and thence by descent來源：倫敦古董商Spink & Son Ltd.倫敦Parry家族收藏，並由後人保存迄今Notable for its exceptionally lustrous white jade and highly refined high relief carving of sinuous chilong clambering its elegant body, the present pouring vessel counts amongst the finest jade carvings made during the celebrated reign of the Qianlong Emperor. The exceptional purity of the jade, particularly visible in the areas left unadorned, smoothly polished to a lustrous sheen, here combines with the archaistic style favoured by the Qianlong Emperor and the masterful ingenuity of craftsmanship and design. In form and design, the present vessel is inspired by the archaic bronze water pouring vessel, yi, which was often used in conjunction with a pan for the ritual washing of hands. It was a late Western Zhou adaptation of the gong and the he vessels, and its use continued well into the Eastern Zhou period; see a bronze pouring vessel, yi, Western Zhou dynasty, cast with clambering chilong, illustrated by J.Rawson, The Bella and P.P. Chiu Collection of Ancient Chinese Bronzes, Hong Kong, 1988, pl.31. At the same time, the depictions of sinuous chilong displaying curled and bifurcated tails is inspired by the jade carving style of the Han dynasty; see a jade scabbard chape, Han dynasty, carved with a pair of chilong illustrated by J.Rawson, Chinese Jade From the Neolithic to the Qing, London, 1995, p.299, no.21:9. The Qianlong Emperor's appreciation of jade, expressed through more than eight hundred of his writings, combined with his passion for antiques, resulted in his commissioning significant numbers of archaistic jade carvings for his Court. The Emperor advocated taking inspiration from antiquity in form and design to 'restore the ancient ways', or the intrinsic values of harmony, simplicity and happy exuberance. In a poem entitled 'The Ballad on a Cup of Jade', composed during the eighth year of his reign (1743), the Emperor maintained the importance of appreciating jade as a genuinely personal path towards virtue. The Emperor instructed the Court to collect drawings of antiquities, such as the Xi Qing Gu Jian (Catalogue of Xiqing Antiquities). To fulfill the Emperor's ambitious project therefore, the artisans working at the Imperial Ateliers and in jade workshops in Suzhou were encouraged to carefully study the remarkable archaic bronzes in the Court collection or woodblocks depicting such antiques to draw inspiration for their new creations; see Chang Li-tuan, The Refined Taste of the Emperor: Special Exhibition of Archaic and Pictorial Jades of the Ch'ing Court, Taipei, 1997, pp.49-50.The exceptional quality of the white jade stone which was used to produce this vessel would have become more available for the Jade Workshops following the Qianlong Emperor's conquest of the Dzungar Khanate between 1755 and 1759, where much of the jade was sourced. The jade carver, whilst demonstrating his skills in the form and relief carving, ensured that the magnificent quality of the stone would be exhibited through the areas left unadorned. The present vessel therefore encapsulates the Qianlong Emperor's personal taste for antiquity in form and design, combined with the superb jade material.A related white jade archaistic pouring vessel yi carved with clambering chilong, Qianlong, in the Musée National du Chateau de Fontainbleu, France, is illustrated in Jade: From Emperors to Art Deco, Paris, 2016, p.238, no.192.白玉琢制，圓身深腹，柄以攀爬於口沿之上的一尾螭龍為飾，流口位置與螭龍柄相對。雙浮雕螭龍分飾盃身兩側，穿行於縷雲之間。本例可謂乾隆年間玉雕器皿之佼佼者。其玉色光潔，精巧雕工在優雅蜿蜒的龍身上尤為突出。玉質之純淨在精心打磨過的素面之處表露無遺。除其精湛玉工外，該匜亦融合了乾隆皇帝所推崇的復古風格。該器以古代青銅匜為濫觴。後者在上古時代常與青銅盤搭配，於儀禮上供濯洗之用。盤匜搭配作為儀禮水器的使用方式興自西周，匜器也逐漸取代了之前流行的注水器如觥、盉等，並一直延續到東周時期。以螭龍紋為飾的西周青銅匜，可見於J.Rawson著，《The Bella and P.P. Chiu Collection of Ancient Chinese Bronzes》，香港，1988年，圖版31。本例玉匜上的螭龍形象則可能源於漢代，參見一例漢螭龍紋玉劍珌，收錄於J.Rawson著，《Chinese Jade From the Neolithic to the Qing》，倫敦，1995年，頁299，編號21:9。乾隆皇帝筆下有八百多篇詠玉的詩文，足見其對這種材質之喜愛珍重。加上他對古物的追慕之情，當時宮廷內按其交辦所製之復古風格玉雕數目龐大。乾隆一生以「復古」為念，更在作於乾隆八年（1743年）的御製文《玉盃記》中以玉工所言煉玉之法比之於君子之道，並直言「執藝以諫者，古典所不廢」讚賞&#... For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
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