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Click here to subscribeA miniature bronze and gilt okimono of a bird and cageMeiji era (1868-1912), late 19th/early 20th centuryThe cage of conventional form, set on four cabriole feet, the removable cover lifting to reveal a gilt quail within; unsigned. 6.2cm (2 3/8in) high.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
An inlaid bronze pear-shaped vaseTaisho (1912-1926) or Showa (1926-1989) era, early/mid-20th centuryThe slender body applied with two elongated lappets and decorated with four foliate motifs inlaid in flat inlay relief of gold within a rectangular panel outlined in silver flat relief inlay; the base incised with a seal Kanreki kinen (60th birthday celebration). 24.2cm (9¼in) high.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A bronze pear-shaped vaseBy Isshosai Shonen for the Miyao Company, Meiji era (1868-1912), late 19th/early 20th century The front decorated in high relief with a sparrow perched on a branch of bamboo scrutinising a bee settled on the foliage, the reverse signed with chiselled characters Isshosai Shonen kizamu (Chased by Isshosai Shonen) above the foot; the base with a seal Miyao sei. 33.2cm (13in) high.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A large inlaid-bronze vaseMeiji era (1868-1912), late 19th centuryThe body and tall octagonal trumpet neck with dark-brown patination, the front applied in high relief with a detachable silver goshawk, its legs of gilt with shakudo talons perched on a gnarled trunk from which issue branches of flowering prunus, two inlaid sparrows resting on the bottom of the trunk, one at either side; unsigned. 69.5cm (27 3/8in) high.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A bronze Kogo (incense box) and cover in the form of a turtleBy Shuzan, Meiji era (1868-1912), late 19th/early 20th centuryNaturalistically modelled, crawling with its head turned to the right, its hinged carapace lifting to form the cover; signed on the belly in cursive characters Shuzan. 4cm x 13.5cm (1½in x 5¼in). 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
A framed bronze plaqueBy Ota Harukage, Taisho (1912-1926) or Showa (1926-1989) era, early/mid-20th centuryDecorated in low relief with three puppies rendered in contrasting tones of bronze cavorting on a hill beside bamboo leaves, the eyes inlaid in gilt with black pupils, signed with chiselled characters Taiyosai Harukage with a kao; within a black-lacquered frame. 33.5cm x 39.7cm (13 3/16in x 15 5/8in).Footnotes:Ota Harukage, a pupil of Funakoshi Shunmin (1868–1940), is recorded as being active in Tokyo during the Taisho and Showa eras. For further information, see Wakayama Takeshi, Kinko jiten (A Dictionary of Metalworkers), Tokyo, Token Shunju Shinbunsha, 1999, p.620.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
An inlaid bronze koro (incense burner) with en-suite coverBy the Inoue company, Meiji era (1868-1912), late 19th/early 20th centuryThe squat spherical body raised on three tall tongued feet in the form of mythological beasts, decorated in high relief inlay of bronze, silver, copper and gilt with three swallows in flight between trailing leafy branches of wisteria, the domed cover similarly worked with overlapping butterflies, surmounted by a knop in the form of a silver chrysanthemum bud; signed on the base with a seal Inoue sei. 13.3cm (5¼in) high. (2).For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
An inlaid bronze flattened ovoid vessel with en-suite coverBy the Nogawa Company of Kyoto, Meiji era (1868-1912), late 19th/early 20th centuryThe body finely worked in multi-metal flat relief of gold, silver, patinated copper and shakudo with two oval panels outlined with a bamboo border, one enclosing a solitary butterfly hovering among trailing wisteria, the other with a butterfly among flowering tokeiso (passion flower), the remainder of the body with stems of bamboo leaves, the cover similarly inlaid with a chain-link pattern surrounded by two paulownia among karakusa ('Chinese grasses') and surmounted by a knop in the form of a bud; signed on the base with a silver flat-inlaid mark of the Nogawa Company. 15.1cm (6in) high. (2).Footnotes:Provenance:An English private collection acquired mainly during the 1960s and 1970s.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
An inlaid bronze vessel in the form of a bambooBy Koshu, Meiji era (1868-1912), late 19th/early 20th centuryThe front of the slender cylindrical body worked in silver and bronze flat relief inlay simulating the stems and leaves of bamboo; signed with chiselled characters on the reverse Koshu. 15.1cm (6in) high.Footnotes:Provenance:An English private collection acquired mainly during the 1960s and 1970s.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A finely inlaid bronze plaqueBy Senseki, Meiji era (1868-1912), late 19th/early 20th centuryFinely inlaid in silver, bronze, gold and shakudo relief with Gyoran (Fish-Basket) Kannon standing and holding a basket of fish in one hand and a scroll in the other, signed with a long, calligraphic inscription inlaid in flat relief of gold Funmen shushin taishi no gotoku bijin Senseki shosha dai (A beauty with a white face and red lips like Bodhisattva inscribed by Senseki, a woodsman); within a carved gilt wood frame. 62.3cm x 42cm (24½in x 16½in).For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A pair of gilt-bronze okimono of carpsBy Nobumitsu, Taisho (1912-1926) or Showa (1926-1989) era, early/mid-20th centuryEach shown swimming with its tail threshing the water, their bodies curled slightly to the left, and balancing on their fins, the larger carp signed on one pectoral fin Nobumitsu within an oval reserve. The larger carp: 25cm (9 7/8in) long; the smaller carp: 21.5cm (8½in) long. (2).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
Three gold ojimeOne by Ryumin, one by Kansosei and one by Katsuhira, Meiji era (1868-1912), late 19th/early 20th centuryThe first a Shojo (drunken spirit), peeping from behind a large sakazuki (sake cup), his long hair trailing down his back, his robe decorated with clouds, signed Ryumin, 1.6cm (5/8in) high; the second of slender oval form, with chiselled details of bamboo, grasses and flowers, signed Kansosei, 3cm (1 3/16in) high; the third of round form, Daikoku peering out of his sack, an amused expression on his face, the clouds on his sack inlaid in bronze and shakudo, signed Katsuhira, 1.5cm (5/8in) high. (3).Footnotes:Provenance:Sold at Christie's, London, 4 July 1984, lots 551, 565, and 570.A somewhat similar example of the third in silver of Daikoku in his sack is illustrated by Robert O. Kinsey, Ojime: Magical Jewels of Japan, New York, Harry N. Abrams, 1991, p.36, no.119-12.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A gold ojime of JurojinBy Shomin, Meiji era (1868-1912), late 19th/early 20th centuryJurojin standing, bearing a serene expression, holding a tama (sacred jewel) in his hands, the tama inlaid in shakudo and bronze; signed Shomin. 1.3cm (½in) high.Footnotes:Provenance:Sold at Christie's, London, 4 July 1984, lot 566.For a somewhat similar example also signed Shomin, see Robert O. Kinsey, Ojime: Magical Jewels of Japan, New York, Harry N. Abrams, 1991, p.38, no.143.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A gold ojime of JittokuMeiji era (1868-1912), late 19th/early 20th centuryJittoku standing and laughing, his robes decorated with clouds, holding a broom inlaid in bronze; unsigned. 2.2cm (7/8in) high.Footnotes:Provenance:Sold at Christie's, London, 4 July 1984, lot 568.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A jingasa (war hat)Edo period (1615-1868) or Meiji era (1868-1912), 19th centuryOf bajo (horse riding) type, constructed from woven fibre stiffened with lacquer, the underside red lacquer with flecks of gold throughout; with a custom-made, modern bronze display stand. 32.5cm (12 13/16in) diam. (2).For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A VERY RARE ARCHAIC BRONZE RITUAL WINE VESSEL, GULate Shang DynastyThe tall vessel crisply cast with a flared mouth and pedestal foot, the central section decorated in relief with a band enclosing two taotie masks between narrow bowstring borders and two narrow bands of circles, the upper band below a further bowstring band, the foot cast with a pictogram within a shaped cartouche, the smooth mottled-green patina with scattered cuprite encrustations. 25.7cm (10in) high.Footnotes:商晚期 青銅饕餮紋觚The inscription reads 亞獏父丁 'Yamo fuding [made as sacrifice to] ancestor Fuding of Yamo family'Provenance: Liang Shangchun (active 1930-1940s)Arthur M. Sackler (1913-1987), New YorkStephen Junkunc III (d.1978), IllinoisChristie's New York, 21 September 1995, lot 294An important European private collectionPublished and Illustrated: Liang Shangchun, Yanku jijin tulu (Illustrated Catalogue of Archaic Bronzes in Yanku Collection), Beijing, 1944, fig.1.51R.W.Bagley, Shang Ritual Bronzes in the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, Cambridge, 1987, p.303, fig.49.12The Institute of Archaeology, CASS, Yinzhou jinwen jicheng (A Compendium of the Shang and Zhou Bronze Inscriptions), Beijing, 1984-94, no.7231T.Wang and Y.Liu, A Selection of Early Chinese Bronzes with Inscriptions from Sotheby's and Christie's Sales, Shanghai, 2007, p.234Z.F. Wu, Shangzhou qingtong ji mingwen ji tuxiang jicheng (Corpus of Inscriptions and Images of Bronzes from the Shang & Zhou Dynasties, Shanghai, 2016, vol.24, p.131, pl.13217來源：梁上椿舊藏紐約亞瑟・M.賽克勒（1913-1987年）舊藏伊利諾伊州史蒂芬・瓊肯三世（1978年逝）舊藏紐約佳士得，1995年9月21日，拍品編號294歐洲重要私人收藏出版著錄：梁上椿，《巖窟吉金圖錄》，北京，1944年，圖版1.51R.W.Bagley，《Shang Ritual Bronzes in the Arthur M. Sackler Collections》，英國劍橋，1987年，頁303，圖版49.12中國社會科學院考古研究所，《殷周金文集成》，北京，1984-94年，編號7231汪濤，劉雨，《流散歐美殷周有銘青銅器集錄》，上海，2007年，頁234吳鎮烽，《商周青銅器銘文暨圖像集成》，上海，2016年，卷24，頁131，圖版13217Remarkable for its tall, elegant shape and complex high-relief decoration with leiwen spirals, this gu is an outstanding example of the late Shang dynasty.Gu vessels were used as sacrificial wine receptacles and were among the most important objects used in State rituals during the late Shang dynasty. Although reference to the name gu is frequently found in early ritual texts, it became associated with the present vessel type in the catalogues of antiquities produced by Song dynasty scholars (960-1279). The shape appears to have originated in pottery production of the Neolithic period, which came in various sizes and shapes. The bronze version, however, probably emerged in the Erligang period (c.1510-1460 BC) and became popular during the Yinxu period (1250-1192 BC), when it became an important component of ritual vessels. While gu vessels produced during the early phases of the Shang dynasty were short and stout, decorated with simple taotie designs merely suggested by eyes amidst linear decoration, the refinement of shape and ornamentation took place towards the later phases of the Shang dynasty, as bronze-casting technique gained in skill and experience. By the time that the Shang capital moved from Zhengzhou to Anyang in Henan Province, gu vessels depicted more detailed taotie designs, which were often complemented with new animal shapes. While retaining some early features of the Erligang phase of the Shang dynasty, notably the sturdy trumpet-shaped body, the finely-detailed and lively taotie masks depicted with bulging eyes on the frieze convey a distinctive sculptural appearance and point to a casting finesse more typical of the later phases of the Shang dynasty. A number of comparable examples of gu vessels dating to the late Shang period have been excavated in Henan, Shanxi, Hubei and Anhui Provinces. Compare with a related bronze gu vessel, 13th-11th century, displaying a similarly-shaped body and taotie decoration on the frieze, illustrated by Wang Tao, Chinese Bronzes from the Meiyintang Collection, London, 2009, p.39, no.13. See also another archaic bronze gu vessel, Late Shang Dynasty, from the collection of Mr and Mrs Kress, Finland, illustrated by P.K.M.Kwok, Dialogue with the Ancients. 100 Bronzes of the Shang, Zhou, and Han Dynasties. The Shen Zhai Collection, Singapore, 2018, pp.222-223, no.42C.another bronze gu vessel, 13th century BC, illustrated by R.Bagley, Shang Ritual Bronzes in the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, Washington DC, 1987, pp.258-9, no.40. A related bronze gu vessel, late Shang dynasty, was sold at Christie's New York, 20 September 2010, lot 1472.觚，為盛酒之禮器，是商周宗廟祭祀的代表器之一。此種器型始見於新石器時代陶器，商早期二里崗上層出土了現存最早的青銅觚，至商晚期逐漸盛行，殷墟有大量出土。商早期的青銅觚矮而寬，紋飾簡單，之後器型不斷變細加高，頸部腹部逐漸收束，兩者直徑趨於一致，裝飾紋樣也益發繁複。本器侈口，長頸，中腹微鼓，圈足外撇，足底直緣。腹飾獸面紋，獸眼鼓脹凸出，上下飾連珠紋帶，是商晚期的典型器物。類似商晚期的例子於河南、山西、湖北和安徽等地多有出土。對比一件公元前十三至十一世紀青銅觚，器型及紋飾與本例相似，收錄於汪濤著，... For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
AN IMPORTANT AND EXCEEDINGLY RARE HUANGHUALI RECTANGULAR DAY-BED, TACirca 1550-1600The well-proportioned bed with a moulded frame of standard miter, mortise and tenon construction enclosing a soft-mat platform with five bowed stretchers underneath, above square-section corner legs ending in inward-turning hoof feet and joined by humpback stretchers. 213cm (83 7/8in) long x 63cm (24 7/8in) deep x 54cm high (21 2/in).Footnotes:約1550-1600年 黃花梨榻Provenance: Ming Furniture Ltd., New York, 1991David S. Utterberg (1947-2020) and Nayda Utterberg, Seattle Sotheby's New York, 16 March 2016, lot 227An important European private collectionPublished and Illustrated: S.Handler, 'Outstanding Pieces in Private Rooms: Chinese Classical Furniture in New American Collections', Orientations, January 1993, fig.4.S.Handler, Ming Furniture in the Light of Chinese Architecture, Berkeley, 2005, p.101.來源：1991年，前藏家購自紐約古董商明代家具有限公司美國西雅圖David S. Utterberg（1947-2020）及Nayda Utterberg伉儷舊藏紐約蘇富比，2016年3月16日，拍品編號227歐洲重要私人收藏出版著錄：S.Handler，〈Outstanding Pieces in Private Rooms: Chinese Classical Furniture in New American Collections〉，《Orientations》，1993年1月刊，香港，編號4S.Handler，《Ming Furniture in the Light of Chinese Architecture》，美國伯克利，2005年，頁101Classical and elegant in its linearity and simplicity, the present daybed is an exceptionally early and rare example fashioned from a single huanghuali plank of unusually large size. Due to its simple design and light weight, the raised platform was used since the earliest historical phases of Chinese history. It was a highly versatile piece of furniture, elevated above the draughts and dampness of the floor, and thus easily suited for both indoor and outdoor purposes. Platforms could be large enough to accommodate a group of people of just the right size for one, such as the present example. Unencumbered by railings, canopies and having to stay in one place, platforms (unlike couchbeds, canopy beds or even kang tables) are probably the very best and most classical examples of the elemental form of Chinese furniture. The oldest platforms in China appear to date to the Anyang period of the Shang dynasty (13th-11th BC). They were made in marble and bronze and supported precious bronze ritual vessels. By the Han dynasty, platforms indicated social status and served as seats for dignitaries. Numerous depictions of banquet scenes, in burials dating to around this period, show the most significant figures seated on raised platforms; see for example Wang Zengxin, 'Liaoyangshi Bangtaizi er hao bihua mu (Wall painting in tomb no.2, Bangtaizi, Liaoyang)', Kaogu, 1, 1960, p.22.By the Ming dynasty, platforms supported on four legs (as opposed to the more typical box-like construction of earlier periods) became highly popular and were constructed in various sizes. Platforms supported on four legs could be larger and heavier structures which were no longer easily moved. At this time, platforms were often referred to as 'Single-Sleeps' Dushui, which the Ming connoisseur Wen Zhenheng mentioned in his 'Treatise on Superflous Things' Zhang Wu Zhi. See Wen Zhenheng, Treatise on Superfluous Things, Nanjing, 1984, p.241. Although Chinese beds such as the present example have been referred to as 'day-beds' in the West, they were used for both daytime sitting and night-time sleeping. Paintings and woodblock prints dating to the Ming dynasty often depict scholars or court ladies sitting on their daybeds in garden settings or along riverbanks. See for example, 'Reclining on An Incense Fumigator' by Chen Hongshou (1599-1652), in the Shanghai Museum. Here, a lovesick court lady is depicted sitting on a platform with slender horse-hoof feet, appearing to converse with a parrot looking down from his elegant metal pedestal. In addition, a woodblock illustration by Ding Yunpeng (1547-c.1621) depicts a scholar joyfully ensconced with his book and scroll on a large platform. Leaning on a semi-circular armrest, he appears to be waiting for the refreshments being carried by his attendant. Finally, 'Waves on the Bank', a handscroll by Shen Zhou (1427-1509) shows a contemplative scholar seated on a platform in front of a large single-panel screen before the open door of his country retreat overlooking a small stream; see S.Handler, Austere Luminosity of Chinese Classical Furniture, Berkeley, 2001, p.117, fig.8.15, p.118, fig.8.18 and p.121, fig.8.22. The patrons of Ming furniture makers preferred simple lines and structural simplicity to elaborate carving and sumptuous decoration. In addition, at the time, the strength rather than the grain of the wood, was considered the most important feature of platforms, so they were often constructed with the wood obtained from the centre of the tree, which was less prone to warping if it had been aged and cured for a long time. See a related huanghuali single-bed, Ming dynasty, late 16th/early 17th century, displaying a waisted frame and lacking the side stretchers, illustrated by G.Ecke, Chinese Domestic Furniture, London, 1962, pl.19.15. Two other examples are illustrated by S.Handler, Austere Luminosity of Chinese Classical Furniture, Berkeley and Los Angeles, 2001, p.116 and by R.H.Ellsworth, Chinese Furniture: Hardwood Examples of the Ming and Early Ch'ing Dynasties, New York, 1971, no.38, p.146. Finally, a pottery miniature figure of a platform exhibiting a similar frame to the present example, in the Shanghai Museum, Shanghai, was unearthed from the Ming dynasty tomb of Pan Yuan Zheng (1589), illustrated by Wang Shixiang, Connoisseurship of Chinese Furniture, Hong Kong, 1990, vol.1, pl.1.3a.Furniture made of exceptionally large single-planks of huanghuali wood would have been extremely rare and expensive to make at the time, and is still highly expensive today. See, for example, a magnificent and very rare massive huanghuali plank-top pedestal table, 17th/18th century, which was sold at Christie's New York, 22 March 2013, lot 1323.榻為四面平式，羅鍋棖，有馬蹄，榻面鑲籐編軟屜，以五根硬木穿帶支承，結構簡練，工藝精巧。明式的榻，現存者多為有束腰式，如本例無束腰且以方材製作者，殊為罕有。床無圍曰「榻」。由於... This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TP YTP Lot will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.Y Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A VERY RARE ARCHAIC BRONZE RITUAL WINE VESSEL AND COVER, YOUEarly Western Zhou Dynasty, 10th century BCThe vessel of oval section fitted with a pair of loops attached to the arched handle ending with animal-mask terminals, cast in shallow relief on each side with a pair of kui dragons confronting an animal mask, all reserved on a leiwen band between two rows of circles, the cover similarly decorated beneath a segmented finial, both the inner body and cover cast with an eight-character inscription reading Menge Shou zuo fuyi zunyi, the surface with light malachite and cuprite encrustations. 30cm (11 6/8in) high. (2).Footnotes:西周早期，公元前10世紀 青銅夔龍紋獸首提梁卣The inscription Douge Shou zuo fuyi zunyi 鬥戈 守作父乙尊彝 may be translated as 'Dou made this precious ritual vessel as a sacrifice for ancestor Father Yi'.Provenance: Major-General Sir Neill Malcolm (1869-1953), KCB, DSOCaptain Dugald Malcolm (1917-2000), CMG, CVO, TD Sotheby's London, The Malcolm Collection: Ancient Bronzes, 29 March 1977, lot 17Hartman Rare Art, New YorkChristie's London, 10 December 1990, lot 2Christie's New York, 18 September 1997, lot 324 An important European private collectionExhibited: Dartington Hall, Exhibition of Chinese Art, 9 July- 14 August 1949, Catalogue, no.1Oriental Ceramic Society, Exhibition of Early Chinese Bronzes, 1951, Catalogue, no.70Published: Dartington Hall, Chinese Art, 1949, Catalogue, no.1Oriental Ceramic Society, Exhibition of Early Chinese Bronzes, 1951, Catalogue, no.70Y. Liu and Y. Lu, Jinchu yinzhou jinwen jilu (Corpus of Recently Discovered Inscriptions from the Yin & Zhou Dynasties), vol.3, Beijing, 2002, pl.597, p.57T. Wang and Y. Liu, A selection of early Chinese bronzes with inscriptions from Sotheby's and Christie's sales, Shanghai, 2007, pl.146Z. F. Wu, Shangzhou qingtongqi mingwen ji tuxiang jicheng (Corpus of Inscriptions and Images of Bronzes from the Shang & Zhou Dynasties), Shanghai, 2016, vol.24, p.131, pl.13217The Malcolm Collection of Chinese early bronzes, ceramics and works of art was one of the most important private collections of its type formed in England during the 1920s-1940s. As described by Captain Dugald Malcolm in the foreword to the 1977 Sotheby's catalogue, his father Sir Neill Malcolm first went to China in 1896. Starting from Leh in Kashmir, the journey to Beijing took seven months. His first purchases were made in Berlin in 1919 and then later when he served in Singapore (1921-1924). Between the First and Second World Wars he visited Beijing a number of times and made a few purchases, although the bulk of the collecting took place in London. Sir Neill Malcolm was a member of the Executive Committee of the 1935-1936 Exhibition at the Royal Academy and lent 16 pieces himself. Since 1953 and prior to being sold in 1977, the collection was on loan to London University, first to the Courtauld Institute and then at the Percival David Foundation, which made the collection available for study to scholars.來源：爵級司令勳章及傑出服務勳章获勋人Neill Malcolm少將（1869-1953年）舊藏聖米迦勒及聖喬治勳章三等勳爵士Dugald Malcolm上尉（1917-2000年）舊藏倫敦蘇富比，「Malcolm收藏中國青銅禮器」專場拍賣，1977年3月29日，拍品編號17紐約古董商Hartman Rare Art倫敦佳士得，1990年12月10日，拍品編號2紐約佳士得，1997年9月18日，拍品編號324歐洲重要私人收藏展覽記錄：Dartington Hall，「Exhibition of Chinese Art（中國藝術展）」，1949年7月9日-8月14日，《圖錄》，編號1倫敦東方陶瓷學會，「Exhibition of Early Chinese Bronzes（早期中國青銅器展）」，1951年，《圖錄》，編號70出版著錄：Dartington Hall，《中國藝術圖錄》，1949年，編號1倫敦東方陶瓷學會，《早期中國青銅器展圖錄》，1951年，，編號70劉雨，盧岩，《近出殷周金文集錄》，卷三，北京，2002年，頁57，圖版597汪濤，劉雨，《流散歐美殷周有銘青銅器集錄》，上海，2007年，圖版146吳鎮烽，《商周青銅器銘文暨圖像集成》，上海，2016年，卷24，頁131，圖版13217Malcolm氏的高古青銅器和陶瓷等中國藝術品收藏，乃是上世紀二十至四十年代英國最為重要的中國藝術私人鉅藏之一。如Dugald Malcolm上尉在1977年蘇富比專拍圖錄前言中所述，Neill Malcolm少將於1896年首次進入中國，但直至1919年才在柏林購入第一件藏品。其於1921至1924年在新加坡履職，一戰及二戰期間也曾多次造訪北京，購買古董，但其大部分收藏還是購自倫敦。1935至1936年，中國藝術國際博覽會於倫敦皇家藝術學院舉辦，Malcolm少將任執行委員會委員之一，並借展了所藏16件藏品。1953年Malcolm少將逝世後，其藏品先後出借於倫敦大學下屬的考陶爾德學院與大維德中國藝術基金會，供學者們研究學&... For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A large gold-splashed bronze tripod incense burner, dingXuande six-character mark, 17th/18th centuryThe incense burner of compressed bombé form, cast with two upright handles, decorated on the exterior with scattered and irregular gold splashes, the base with an apocryphal Xuande six-character mark. 26cm (10 2/8in) diam.Footnotes:十七/十八世紀 銅灑金沖天耳爐「大明宣德年製」楷書款Provenance: Christie's Paris, 9 June 2015, lot 220 An important European private collection來源：巴黎佳士得，2015年6月9日，拍品編號220歐洲重要私人收藏The form of the present incense burner is likely inspired by one of the most classic bronze shapes produced during the Xuande period (1426-1437). These shapes in turn were drawn from the range of objects depicted in the 'Illustrations of Antiquities in the Xuanhe Hall', Xuanhe Xuanhe bogutu, and other antiquarian texts; while some others were modelled on fine specimens of ceramics of the Northern Song period (960-1127).Vessels modelled after archaic shapes, such as the present example, were designated for use in the sacrificial altars located outside of the capital, at Imperial ancestral temples and within court palaces; however, they were also presented to princely households and meritorious officials. Incense burners were also used by the literati to decorate the tables and shelves in their studio and burn fragrant incense for creating a contemplative atmosphere. For a Xuande mark and period tripod incense burner see P.Hu, Later Chinese Bronzes. The Saint Louis Art Museum and Robert E. Kresko Collection, Saint Louis, 2008, p.137, no.38. A gold-splashed incense burner, 18th century, of similar shape to the present example but slightly smaller in size, was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 8 October 2019, lot 3658.口沿微侈，收頸，鼓腹，底近平，下承三乳足。口沿上起一對雙沖耳，稍稍外傾，耳孔半圓。爐底有減地陽文「大明宣德年製」六字楷書款。宣德三年，明宣宗敕令工部及禮部等官員利用暹羅貢銅鑄造鼎彝之事；這批宣德爐形制參考《宣和博古圖錄》等史籍，以及宋代名窯瓷器之款式，開後世銅爐先河。本器應為參照宣德爐最為經典的器型之一仿製而成。形如本例的沖天耳爐，端莊中正，常見於內壇郊社宗廟祭祀之用，亦用於賞賜皇親國戚和功臣顯貴。而沿襲宋人情趣、將焚香尊為「文人四事」之一的歷代文人雅士，則將為祭拜之用的香爐帶入書齋雅集，於氤氳之境得閒逸之情。參考一例明宣德沖耳爐，見P.Hu著，《Later Chinese Bronzes. The Saint Louis Art Museum and Robert E. Kresko Collection》，聖路易，2008年，頁137，編號38。另見一例十八世紀銅灑金沖天耳爐，形似本例，售於香港蘇富比，2019年10月8日，拍品編號3658。For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A RARE ARCHAIC BRONZE RITUAL VESSEL, ZHIEarly Western Zhou Dynasty, 11th/10th century BCThe elegant pear-shaped body flaring to a wide trumpet mouth, raised on a high spreading pedestal foot bound with a double bowstring, cast with a further bowstring below a band of eight zoomorphic crested birds centred with relief bovine heads featuring broad notched ears forming the handles, the interior cast with a two-character inscription, the surface with a glossy patina beneath bright green malachite, blue azurite and red cuprite encrustations. 21.6cm (8 1/2in) high.Footnotes:西周早期，公元前11至10世紀 青銅鳥紋觶Provenance: a Japanese private collectionSotheby's London, 18 November 1998, lot 803Sotheby's London, 14 November 2000, lot 2An important European private collectionPublished and Illustrated: Wang Tao and Liu Yu, A Selection of Ancient Chinese Bronzes with Inscriptions from Sotheby's and Christie's Sales, Shanghai, 2007, no.152 來源：日本私人收藏倫敦蘇富比，1998年11月18日，拍品編號803倫敦蘇富比，2000年11月14日，拍品編號2歐洲重要私人收藏出版著錄：汪濤，劉雨，《流散歐美殷周有銘青銅器集錄》，上海，2007年，編號152Zhi vesels such as the present example served as drinking vessels. They were employed in important ritual performances aimed at paying homage to the ancestors. According to Chinese beliefs, the ancestors were deemed active participants in the life of their living offspring, which they could positively influence if provided with the correct necessities for their own afterlife; see J.Rawson, 'The Power of Images: The Model Universe of the First Emperor and Its Legacy', in Historical Research, no.75, 2002, pp.123-154.According to literature dating to the Song dynasty (960-1279), zhi vessels were ring-footed bronze cups. Compared with other forms of wine vessels the zhi form was a late arrival, probably first appearing in the Yinxu period (1250-1192 BC) but not yet common in Shang burials. By the early Western Zhou period the zhi was part of the regular wine vessel set, along with the jue and gu vessles, and its use appears to have continued after the disappearance of these latter forms; see Wang Tao, Chinese Bronzes from the Meiyintang Collection, London 2009, p.38.Zhi vessels appear to have been cast in two designs: the first type a slender cup similar to the gu beaker; the second form, such as the present example, a fairly low cup, oval in cross-section, with a concave neck and often a lid. The types seem to have co-existed throughout the late Shang and Western Zhou dynasties. The inscription on the vessel fu yi, meaning 'Father Yi', also appears on three bronze jue vessels, 10th/11th century BC, illustrated by N.Barnard and Cheung Kwong-Yue, Rubbings and Hand Copies of Bronze Inscriptions in Chinese, Japanese, European, American, and Australasian Collections, Taipei, 1978, vol.6, nos.937-939.Zhi vessels decorated with a single band of decoration, such as the present examples, appear to be rare. Compare with a bronze zhi vessel, 11th/10th century BC, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, acc.no.49.135.14. See also a related bronze zhi vessel, 11th/10th century BC, illustrated by J.Rawson, Western Zhou Ritual Bronzes from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, Harvard MA, 1990, no. 101.Copare with a related archaic bronze ritual vessel and cover, zhi, which was sold at Bonhams Hong Kong, 24 November 2013, lot 571.本器侈口，束頸，梨形腹微鼓，圈足較高，足底外撇。頸部一周鳥紋飾帶，以中軸相對，首尾相連，兩側浮雕牛首為鈕，下再起弦紋一匝。圈足另飾弦紋兩匝，餘無他飾。器內鑄「父乙」銘文，應為宗廟內祭祀「父乙」而製。觶為酒器，其名早在先秦文獻中已有記載，用於定名此類器物則始於北宋《博古圖》，此後學界一直沿用。觶較觚、爵等其他類型的青銅酒器出現較晚，最早見於殷墟時期，但商代未見大量出土。西周早期開始流行，並逐步取代觚的地位，成為酒器基本組合的核心物品。參汪濤著，《玫茵堂藏中國銅器》，倫敦，2009年，頁38。青銅觶通常分為扁體和圓體兩類，商代和西周時期並存於世。圓體者形似侈口的小壺，較細較長，有些形制比例甚至與觚相似；扁體者則如本例，形狀為橢扁體，下腹鼓出。商晚期的扁體觶頸腹比例各異，西周早期則大多為寬頸垂腹式，呈現如本例腹部下垂較深的式樣。紐約大都會藝術博物館藏一件公元前十一至十世紀青銅觶，藏品編號49.135.14，與本例同樣在頸部飾鳥紋一周，可資比對。另參考一例公元前十一至十世紀青銅觶，見J.Rawson著，《Western Zhou Ritual Bronzes from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections》，麻省劍橋，1990年，編號101。一例西周青銅蕉葉紋觶，售於香港邦瀚斯，2013年11月24日，拍品編號571，可為... For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A GOLD-SPLASHED BRONZE INCENSE BURNER, GUIXuande six-character mark, 17th/18th centuryThe archaistic body rising from a spreading foot to a gently-flared rim, cast with a pair of animal-mask handles suspending beaded rings, the base cast with an apocryphal Xuande six-character mark, decorated with irregular gold splashes. 10.2cm (4in) wide.Footnotes:十七/十八世紀 銅灑金獸耳簋式爐「大明宣德年制」楷書款Provenance: Sotheby's London, 13 May 2009, lot 239 (part lot)An important European private collection來源：倫敦蘇富比，2009年5月13日，拍品編號239（部分）歐洲重要私人收藏Cast with a bombé body embellished with a pair of animal-mask handles, the present vessel displays a powerful shape resembling bronze food ritual vessel, gui, of the Shang and Zhou dynasty. Archaistic vessels were normally employed as models for incense burners or ritual vessels, as subtle allusions to the ancient Chinese past.Compare with a related gold-splashed bronze incense burner decorated with animal masks, early 18th century, in the Cernuschi Museum, Paris, illustrated by M.Maucuer, Bronzes de la Chine Imperiales Song au Qing, Paris, 2013, p.128, no.76.爐型仿商周時期重要禮器簋，唇口外撇，短束頸，微鼓腹，高圈足。兩側塑獸耳，猙獰威武，下銜浮雕連珠環。爐底有減地陽文「大明宣德年製」六字楷書款。通體灑金，精工美型。參考巴黎賽努奇亞洲藝術博物館藏一例十八世紀早期銅灑金獸耳爐，收錄於M.Maucuer著，《Bronzes de la Chine Imperiales Song au Qing》，巴黎，2013年，頁128，編號76。For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A SMALL GOLD-SPLASHED BRONZE HALBERD-HANDLED INCENSE BURNER, YILUXuande six-character mark, 17th/18th centuryThe vessel of archaistic form rising from a short foot to a flaring rim, cast with a pair of stylised chilong handles, decorated to the exterior with irregular-sized gold splashes, the base cast with an apocryphal Xuande six-character mark. 12cm (4 6/8in) wide.Footnotes:十七/十八世紀 銅灑金雙戟耳彝爐「大明宣德年製」楷書款Provenance: an important European private collection來源：歐洲重要私人收藏The form of the present incense burner may have been based on a prototype dating to the Ming dynasty. A line drawing of a gold-splashed incense burner, displaying a form nearly identical to the present example, is included in the 'Illustrated Catalogue of of the Ritual Vessels of the Xuande Period' Xuande Yiqi Tupu. The work purports to be the wording of an Imperial decree of 1428 ordering bronzes for the palace. Many scholars, however, have argued that the this work may have been published at a later stage than the Ming dynasty; see R.Kerr, Later Chinese Bronzes, London, 1990, p.18.A related gold-splashed bronze halberd-handled incense burner, 17th/18th century, was sold at Sotheby's London, 5 November 2008, lot 15.此式銅灑金雙戟耳彝爐於《宣德彝器圖譜》可見一例，原型或取自宋代瓷器經典器型魚耳爐；然而就《宣德彝器圖譜》一書的成書時間，學界亦有爭議，參見R.Kerr著，《Later Chinese Bronzes》，倫敦，1990年，頁18。參考一件十七至十八世紀銅灑金雙戟耳彝爐，售於倫敦蘇富比，2008年11月5日，拍品編號15。For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A RARE ARCHAIC BRONZE RITUAL WINE VESSEL AND COVER, HULate Spring and Autumn Period, late 6th-5th century BCThe slender pear-shaped body rising from a spreading foot, crisply cast in relief with four bands of S-scrolls with curled tips within plain borders, all below a band of upright flat-cast blades around the tall waisted neck, the shoulders set with a pair of taotie-mask loop handles suspending loose rings, each ring with a chain to a dragon-shaped handle, all under a light green encrustation. 36cm (14 1/8in) high. (2).Footnotes:春秋晚期，公元前六至五世紀晚期 青銅羽翅紋提梁鏈壺Provenance: an important European private collection來源：歐洲重要私人收藏According to the 'Rites of Zhou' Zhou Li, hu ritual vessels such as the present lot were used as wine containers during the performance of sacrificial ceremonies in Bronze Age China.Wine vessels were cast in a variety of designs. Vessels like the present example, set on a low ring foot patterned to resemble a twisted rope, with the lid attached to a long chain handle and four movable rings at the neck, have been mainly excavated from central and southern Chinese provinces including Henan, Hebei, Shandong, and Guangdong Province. These excavations have shown that actual ropes were passed between the rings around the neck and the corresponding ones on the lid, to hold the lid firmly in place while the vessel was being carried; see Wang Tao, Chinese Bronzes from the Meyingtang Collection, London, 2009, p.96; and J.So, Eastern Zhou Ritual Bronzes from the Arthur Sackler Collections, New York, 1995, vol.3, p.250.Compare with a related bronze hu vessel and cover, 4th century BC, of similar form and proportions but with an undecorated body, excavated from Qufu Xian M3 site in Shandong Province, illustrated by J.So, Eastern Zhou Ritual Bronzes from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, New York, 1995, vol.3 p.277, fig.49.2. See also another bronze hu vessel and cover, 4th-3rd century BC, with flat-cast decorative bands and taotie-mask loose ring handles on the lower body, excavated in Jiangling Yutaishan, Hubei Province, illustrated in Ibid., p.287, fig.51.3.A very similar bronze ritual wine vessel and cover, hu, late Spring and Autumn period, late 6th-5th century BC, was sold at Christie's New York, 21 March 2014, lot 2023.長頸，口微侈，球形腹，圈足。蓋呈穹頂，上有雙環。肩部一對獸頭鋪首耳，上銜鍊和提梁。提梁扁圓，兩端飾獸首，與銅環套接而成的鏈相連。頸飾卷雲紋，肩上一周蕉葉蟬紋，腹飾四周羽翅紋。壺為酒器，形如本例的提梁鏈壺在中國中部及南部，包括河南、河北、山東、廣東等省份，皆有發現。考古出土的提梁鏈壺，提鏈大多穿過蓋頂銜環，使器蓋和器身連在一起，使用時不至缺失。參見汪濤著，《玫茵堂藏中國銅器》，倫敦，2009年， 頁96；及蘇芳淑著，《Eastern Zhou Ritual Bronzes in the Arthur M. Sackler Collections》，卷三，紐約，1995年，頁250。比較一例山東曲阜出土公元前四世紀青銅提梁鏈壺，形制類似本例，惟無紋飾，收錄於蘇芳淑著，《Eastern Zhou Ritual Bronzes in the Arthur M. Sackler Collections》，卷三，紐約，1995年，頁277，圖版49.2。另有一例湖北江陵雨台山出土公元前四至三世紀提梁鏈壺，下腹另有四隻鋪首銜環耳，出處同上，頁287，圖版51.3。一件春秋晚期，公元前六至五世紀晚期青銅提梁鏈壺，售於紐約佳士得，2014年3月21日，拍品編號2023，可資比對。For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A RARE GOLD-SPLASHED BRONZE OVAL INCENSE BURNERXuande six-character mark, 18th centuryThe vessel of elliptical form with gently-flaring sides rising from four ruyi feet, the greenish-brown patina with numerous irregular gold splashes in varying sizes, the base with an apocryphal Xuande six-character mark. 21.5cm (8 1/2in) wide.Footnotes:十八世紀 銅灑金洗式爐「大明宣德年製」楷書款Provenance: an important European private collection來源：歐洲重要私人收藏Notable for its elegant and restrained form, the present vessel takes the form of a vessel type known as 'narcissus bowl', shuixian pen, which may have served as a incense burner as well as a floral bowl, probably as an elegant accessory on a scholar's desk. The elliptical form of narcissus basins appears to have originated in the ceramic production of the Northern Song dynasty (960-1127). See for example the exquisite Ruyao-glazed 'narcissus basins' dating to the 11th and 12th century and standing on four ruyi feet, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated by Lin Baiting, Special Exhibition of Ju Ware from the Northern Song Dynasty, Taipei, 2006, no.7.The origin of gold-splash decoration remains a source of speculation. The decoration, noted on the present example, may have been based on a Ming dynasty practice of decorating bronzes. This is suggested by a line drawing of a gold-splashed incense burner in the 'Illustrated Catalogue of of the Ritual Vessels of the Xuande Period' Xuande Yiqi Tupu, which purports to be the wording of an Imperial decree of 1428 ordering bronzes for the Palace, and which illustrates these vessels. Many scholars, however, have argued that the this work may have been published at a later stage than the Ming dynasty; see R.Kerr, Later Chinese Bronzes, London, 1990, p.18.An oval 'narcissus bowl' bronze incense burner, 16th-17th century, featuring a similar elliptical form as the present lot, is illustrated by S.Moss, The Second Bronze Age. Later Chinese Metalwork, London, 1991, no.43.爐型橢圓洗式，敞口淺腹，腹壁斜直內收，下底出一周圓弧棱線，承四隻如意云足。通體灑金，於古樸中見富麗。爐底中央減地陽文「大明宣德年製」六字楷書款。明宣德時期依據古籍典錄及宋瓷形制鑄造銅爐，洗式爐即成經典形制之一，明末清初之際仿鑄尤盛，頗受文人雅士的喜愛。此種器型原型可參考台北國立故宮博物院館藏北宋汝窯青瓷水仙盆，釉面純淨無紋，且同樣接雲頭型四足，本品造型與之如出一轍；見林柏亭編著，《大觀 北宋汝窯特展圖錄》，台北，2006年，編號7。比較一例十六至十七世紀銅洗式爐，形似本例，收錄於S.Moss著，《The Second Bronze Age. Later Chinese Metalwork》，倫敦，1991年，編號43。For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A GOLD-SPLASHED BRONZE TRIPOD INCENSE BURNER, DINGXuande seal mark, 17th/18th centuryOf globular shape supported on three short curling legs, and set with two bail handles rising from the rim, the base cast with a Xuande six-character mark, with irregular splashes of gold on the olive-brown patina. 18.5cm (7 2/8in) wide.Footnotes:十七/十八世紀 銅灑金三足鼎式爐「宣德」篆書款Provenance: an important European private collection來源：歐洲重要私人收藏The form of the present incense burner is based on the archaic bronze food ritual vessel, ding, produced during the Shang dynasty. As such, it reflects the Qing emperors' fascination with antiquity, and their call for craftsman to take inspiration from earlier forms and designs.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. Indeed, a line drawing of a gold-splashed incense burner in the 'Illustrated Catalogue of the Ritual Vessels of the Xuande Period' Xuande Yiqi Tupu, which purports to be the wording of an Imperial decree of 1428 ordering bronzes for the Palace, and which illustrates these vessels, would seem to indicate that the practice of applying gold splashes on bronzes may have been used since the 15th century. Many scholars, however, have argued that the this work may have been published at a later stage than the Ming dynasty; see R.Kerr, Later Chinese Bronzes, London, 1990, p.18.Compare with a related gold-splashed globular tripod incense burner, 18th century, with a two-character Xuande seal mark, which was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 8 October 2019, lot 3650.爐斂口，口沿上施一對沖耳，圓腹，下接三矮足，仿商周銅器獸蹄足之意。通體灑金，線條流暢，古雅大方。爐底正中鏨刻「宣德」篆書款。爐型仿商周重要青銅禮器鼎，是清朝自上而下鑑古仿古風尚的實例體現。本品所用的灑金工藝起源尚不明晰，或始於明代；《宣德彝器圖譜》繪有一件灑金銅爐，可資證明。 《宣德彝器圖譜》據傳編撰於1428年，然而也有學者認為其成書時間或晚於明代。參見R.Kerr著，《Later Chinese Bronzes》，倫敦，1990年，頁18。參考一件與本例相關的十八世紀銅灑金橋耳三足爐，同施「宣德」篆書仿款，售於香港蘇富比，2019年10月8日，拍品編號3650。For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A VERY RARE ARCHAIC BRONZE COPPER-INLAID WINE VESSEL, BIANHUWarring States PeriodThe vessel with flattened oval sides raised on a spreading rectangular pedestal foot, the main faces cast in relief with panels of tight abstract curling patterns arranged in five horizontal bands within copper-inlaid borders, the sides similarly decorated and applied with two taotie masks suspending a ring handle, all below a narrow band on the waisted neck and a copper band on the flared mouth, the body covered with light-green encrustation. 33cm (13in) high.Footnotes:戰國 青銅羽翅紋扁壺Provenance: J.J. Lally & Co., Oriental Art, New YorkAn important European private collectionPublished, Illustrated and Exhibited: J.J. Lally & Co., Oriental Art, Archaic Chinese Bronzes, Jades and Works of Art, New York, June 1994, no.56來源：紐約古董商J.J. Lally & Co., Oriental Art歐洲重要私人收藏展覽著錄：J.J. Lally & Co., Oriental Art，《Archaic Chinese Bronzes, Jades and Works of Art》，紐約，1994年六月，編號56Bianhu vessels first appeared as in the Warring States period (457-221 BC), when they formed an important part of religious and cultural rituals aimed at presenting food and drink offerings to the ancestors of powerful families. At the time, various social and political changes were bringing old rituals to an end. One such change was the increasing presence in China of nomadic peoples, and it is likely that the bianhu was inspired by practical vessels used for carrying water on horseback; see J.Rawson, 'Ordering the Exotic: Ritual Practices in the Late Western and Early Eastern Zhou', in Artibus Asiae, vol.73, no.1, 2013, pp.5-76.The intricate interlacing designs noted on the present vessel testify to a highly-developed method of mechanical production that appears to have become the norm during the Eastern Zhou dynasty. At this time, elaborate designs were produced using 'pattern blocks' made of clay, which were carved as the masters from which to impress strips of negative design to fill out the moulds. This method enabled the production of a large number of similarly-decorated vessels, probably intended to impress a socially-prominent audience. In a world of competing courts, conspicuous displays of every kind was the order of the day. For example, the lavish content of the tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng, the ruler of a small state on the borders of the Chu kingdom, yielded spectacular wine hu containers, in addition to a magnificent set of sixty-five bronze bells; see Hubei Sheng Bowuguan, Zeng Hou Yi Mu, Beijing, 1989.A bronze bianhu, Warring States period, unearthed in 1977 from the tomb of King Cuo of the Zhongshan state, contained an alcoholic drink, further proving the function of this type of vessel at that time; see Liu Jiansheng, Warring States Treasures- Cultural Relics from the State of Zhongshan, Hebei Province, Hong Kong, 1999, p.44, no.7.The lack of a lid on the present example may be explained because many of these covers were originally made from perishable or fragile materials, such as wood or pottery. See a bianhu and cover, Warring States period, excavated in 1975 at Sanmenxia Shangcunling, Henan Province, now in the Henan Provincial Museum, Zhengzhou, illustrated in Zhongguo Wenwu Jinghua Dacidian, Qingtong juan, Shanghai, 1995, p.241, no.864. Compare with two very similar bronze bianhu vessels, Warring States period, late 4th-early 3rd century BC, in the Compton Verney collection, Warwickshire, acc.no.CVCSC 0218.1-2.A, and the example in Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, illustrated in Asiatic Art in the Rijskmuseum Amsterdam, Amsterdam, 1985, p.38, no.10.A very similar copper-inlaid bronze ritual wine vessel, bianhu, Warring States period, was sold at Christie's New York, 24 March 2011, lot 1257.壺呈扁圓形，侈口，短頸，溜肩，長方形圈足。肩飾一對鋪首銜環耳。腹部以赤銅作五層長方形格欄，兩側六層，格內飾細密繁縟羽翅紋，紋飾層疊，繁而不亂。扁壺為酒器，約始見於戰國。一說其形制源於北方游牧民族盛水的皮囊，東周時期隨各民族文化交流而傳入中原。參見J.Rawson著，〈Ordering the Exotic: Ritual Practices in the Late Western and Early Eastern Zhou〉，收錄於《Artibus Asiae》，卷73，第一刊，2013年，頁5-76。中國北方少數民族白狄族鮮虞部在今河北省境內建立古中山國，其戰國時期王陵中曾見一件扁壺，出土時仍有半壺酒液，進一步佐證了此類扁壺的用途。見《戰國雄風——河北省中山國王墓文物展》，香港，1999年，頁44，編號7。部分扁壺最初使用時或配以木製或陶製壺蓋，這些材料易腐易碎，無法經歷漫長歲月而保存。如現藏於河南博物館、1975年於河南三門峽上村嶺出土一件青銅羽紋扁壺，形制紋飾皆似本例，且出土時同樣無蓋。見《中國文物精華大辭典·青銅卷》，上海，1995年，頁241，編號864。主體密集往復的浮雕裝飾，應使用模印法，即以印模在尚未全乾的陶胎上連續印製鑄成，是戰國時期青銅紋飾的典型例證。參考兩件極似本例的戰國時期青銅扁壺，分別藏於英國Compton Verney莊園博物館，館藏編號CVCSC 0218.1-2.A；及阿姆斯特丹荷蘭國立博物館A... For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A WAKIZASHI (SHORT SWORD) WITH LACQUER MOUNTSBy Yasutsugu, Edo Period (1615-1868), 17th/18th centuryThe blade of shinogi-zukuri form with torii-zori, chu-gissaki, and iori-mune, notare-ha of nie and nioi, itame-hada, komaru-boshi, the omote side with a horimono (carved image) of Fudo Myo-o wielding a sword and surrounded by flames, the ura side carved with a bonji (Sanskrit character) and suken (double-edged straight sword), the ubu-nakago with one mekugi-ana, signed Nanban tetsu o motte Echizen Yasutsugu, Bushu Edo ni oite kore o saku (Echizen Yasutsugu made this at Edo in Musashi Province using Nanban iron) and a carved mitsuba aoi mon (triple-hollyhock crest), in shirasaya (plain wood scabbard); the saya (scabbard) lacquered black with densely-sprinkled aogai nashiji (sprinkled mother-of-pearl) and inlaid with small flying birds of shell, the tsuba (sword guard) shakudo with inlaid gilt floral details, signed Furukawa Genchin with a kao, fuchigashira (matching hilt collar and pommel), menuki (paired hilt ornaments), kogai (skewer), and kozuka (knife handle) also shakudo with inlaid gilt floral details, the kogatana gilt-bronze with bonji, the kurikata (knob for tying cord), kojiri (scabbard tip), kaeshizuno (hook to secure scabbard) of gilt-metal nanako ('fish-roe' dot pattern). The saya: 72cm (28 1/4in) long; the blade: 50.2cm (19 3/4in) long. (2).Footnotes:日本江戶時代，十七/十八世紀 康繼作 黑漆包鞘打刀Provenance: an important European private collection來源：歐洲重要私人收藏The Yasutsugu School of swordsmiths served the Tokugawa Shoguns for generations throughout the Edo period (1615-1868). The first-generation Yasutsugu, originally named Shimosaka, initially worked in Echizen Province (Fukui Prefecture), where he entered the service of Matsudaira Hideyasu (1574-1607), third son of the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616), and lord of the domain.Shimosaka went on to serve Shoguns Ieyasu and Hidetada in Edo (Tokyo), receiving the character 'Yasu' in his name from Ieyasu, henceforth known as Yasutsugu. He was also granted permission to sign his swords with the Tokugawa-clan hollyhock crest, a carved mitsuba aoi mon, present on this lot.The first and second generation Yasutsugu were well known for the bold horimono (carving) on their blades. By forging broader swords, they were able to carve larger, more intricate designs on the surface without compromising the strength of the blade. This novel change led to the shift to more decorative horimono, more typically seen in swords of the Edo period. For an example of a sword with a plum branch and bamboo horimono by Yasutsugu I, see M. Ogawa, ed., Art of the Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armor, 1156-1868, New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2009, p.182, no.103.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A RARE PAIR OF HUANGHUALI SIDE-TABLES WITH SHELF, ZHUO17th centuryEach of rectangular form, comprising one shelf and a top supported by four upright members, constructed with tongue-and-grooved floating panels and mitred joints, the lower shelf supported by curved braces; one table with a two-character mark Di You meaning 'bottom right'. 90cm (35 1/2in) wide x 55.5cm (21 6/8in) high x 54cm (21 2/8in) deep. (2).Footnotes:十七世紀 黃花梨带屉板邊桌成對Provenance: Jean-Pierre Dubosc (1903-1988)An important European private collectionPublished and Illustrated (one of the pair): G.N.Kates, Chinese Household Furniture, New York, 1948, no.49.來源：法國藏家杜伯秋（1903-1988年）舊藏歐洲重要私人收藏出版著錄（其一）：G.N.Kates，《Chinese Household Furniture》，紐約，1948年，圖版編號49Jean-Pierre Dubosc was a French connoisseur of Chinese art, a diplomat stationed in China during the 1930s-1940s, and son-in-law of the renowned Chinese art dealer C. T. Loo. Dubosc promoted Ming and Qing literati painting by organising exhibitions and selling works to Western museums.Of elegant proportions and form, the present tables would most likely have been used as side tables in a scholar's studio to support art objects of considerable weight, such as a scholar's rock, an incense burner or a table screen. The origin of side tables fitted with a shelf is unknown. However, the 'Portrait of Wang Xizhi', a painting dating to the Song dynasty (960-1279) depicts the central figure seated next to a side table similar to the present example, set with scholarly objects. This painting almost certainly inspired an 18th century portrait depicting the Qianlong Emperor appreciating antiquities, depicted in a very similar guise as the Song counterpart, beside a rectangular side table fitted with a shelf displaying an archaic bronze vessel and a table screen; see Chu-Pak Lau, Classical Chinese Furniture from the Haven Collection, Hong Kong, 2016, p.208. Giant's-arm braces, a feature introduced during the Ming dynasty, provided additional support on the underside of the table. Their use eliminated the need for the more commonly seen 'humpback' stretchers. The strength of this joint allows the table to be supported without stretchers, thereby creating a lighter and more elegant form. This device may have originated during the Warring States period (475-221 BC) to fasten bronze fittings; see Wang Shixiang, Connoisseurship of Chinese Furniture: Ming and Early Qing Dynasties, vol.1, Hong Kong, 1990, pp.121-122. Compare with a related pair of corner-leg tables with shelf, mid 17th/18th century, illustrated by Chu-Pak Lau, Classical Chinese Furniture from the Haven Collection, Hong Kong, 2016, p.209, no.49.杜伯秋全名尚-皮耶·杜伯秋，自大學時研習亞洲文化，後娶古董商盧芹齋的小女兒為妻。二十世紀三、四十年代，杜伯秋於北京作為外交人員就職於法國大使館；後致力於中國明清文人書畫的研究與收藏，參與策劃了一系列重要展覽，並協助諸多西方博物館機構收集中國書畫。邊桌主體粽角榫四面平式，桌面攢邊框鑲面心板。方腿直落地面，腿間加設橫棖，棖子裡口打槽裝屜板，形成隔層，以增加使用空間。除屜板下安花形角牙外，通身光素整潔，樸實無華。其一刻有「地右」二字，或為方位標記。此類帶屜板的邊桌傳世不多，原型已不可考。台北國立故宮博物院館藏一幅《宋人人物圖》，畫中士人坐於榻上，注目凝思，榻旁擺放邊桌數只，皆施四面腿間橫棖，陳設琴棋書畫、趣事雅玩。據學者考證，本幅畫作或為東晉王羲之《臨鏡自寫真圖》之宋代摹本，後經宋徽宗、高宗、清高宗等帝王收藏；清高宗乾隆皇帝很欣賞此類新穎別緻的構圖，諭令宮廷畫家共創作了五幅相似之作，將宋人冊頁中的文士換成了他的頭像，現藏於北京故宮博物院之《乾隆皇帝是一是二圖軸》是為一例。畫卷中的家具排布雖似《宋人人物圖》之構圖，但陳設種類已大不相同，各式香几桌案，雕飾頗繁；惟左側保留一件邊桌，腿間加裝屜板，形如本例。上層陳設青銅禮器及嵌玉硯屏，擱板用來放置書卷，可謂此類邊桌用途&... This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TP YTP Lot will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.Y Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A RARE PAIR OF ARCHAIC BRONZE RITUAL WINE VESSELS, HUWarring States PeriodEach vessel of pear-shaped body cast with three horizontal bands of interlocking and confronted dragons, divided by narrower bands decorated with stylised cicada and geometric designs, above a band of twisted-rope designs at the mouth, the neck set with two taotie masks suspending ring handles, the surface with a greyish-green patina with some areas of encrustation. 36cm (14 3/8in) high. (2).Footnotes:戰國 青銅蟠螭紋壺一對Provenance: Vanderven & Vanderven, LE 's-Hertogenbosch, n.180 (label)An important European private collection來源：荷蘭斯海爾托亨博斯古董商，Vanderven & Vanderven，n.180（標籤）歐洲重要私人收藏The present pair of hu vessels is a remarkable example of the creativity associated with Bronze Age design evolution, first developing in the Western Zhou period, after which ritual bronzes continued to become increasingly elaborate throughout the Eastern Zhou period.Bronze vessels hu served as wine containers during the performance of sacrificial ceremonies aimed at worshipping the ancestors. These elaborate vessels were reserved for the highest-ranking members of society and were thus powerful indicators of the power and wealth of their owner. Although hu vessels may have been in use since the Shang dynasty, they became popular during the Zhou dynasty, with many variants being produced at this time. The present vessel exhibits a dense sculptural decoration that is the direct result of the use of 'master decor stamps', also known as 'pattern blocks', which facilitated the mould-making process and brought about specialisation and mass production to meet the rapid commercialisation of the bronze industry. Hu vessels of similar shape to the present example, typically set on a low foot patterned to resemble a twisted rope, have been mainly excavated in Henan Province, in North China. See for example, a hu vessel, late 6th/5th century BC, excavated from an Eastern Zhou burial in Huixiang Zhaogu, Henan Province, illustrated by J.So, Eastern Zhou Ritual Bronzes from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, vol.3, Washington DC, 1995, pp.248, fig.42.1.Compare with a similar bronze vessel hu, 5th century BC, in the Metropolitan Museum, New York, illustrated by D.Leidy, How to Read Chinese Ceramics, New York, 2015, p.22, fig.2.1. See also a similar bronze hu, Eastern Zhou dynasty, in the British Museum, London, no.1960.0724.1.A similar bronze ritual wine vessel, hu, late Warring States period, was sold at Christie's New York, 15 September 2011, lot 1129.壺侈口束頸，球形腹，圈足。肩部一對鋪首銜環耳。頸飾绹索紋一匝，腹部凸起四道變形蟬紋為界，其間飾三週蟠螭紋，繁密交纏。圈足各飾一周變形蟬紋。春秋及戰國時期，青銅器鑄造工藝大幅發展，紋飾風格也有別於商代的神秘奇詭和西周的質實典重，而愈加繁複綺麗。本例主體密集往復的浮雕裝飾，應使用模印法，即以印模在尚未全乾的陶胎上連續印製鑄成，是戰國時期青銅紋飾的典型例證。形似本例的青銅壺多見於中國北方如河南等省份，如河南輝縣趙固出土一件公元前六至五世紀青銅壺，收錄於蘇芳淑著，《Eastern Zhou Ritual Bronzes in the Arthur M. Sackler Collections》，卷三，華盛頓，1995年，頁248，圖版42.1。另可參考紐約大都會藝術博物館藏一件公元前五世紀青銅壺，與本例相似，見D.Leidy著，《How to Read Chinese Ceramics》，紐約，2015年，頁22，圖版2.1；以及倫敦大英博物館藏一件東周青銅壺，藏品編號1960.0724.1。一件戰國晚期青銅蟠虺紋壺，售於紐約佳士得，2011年9月15日，形制相仿，可資參考。For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A RARE PALE GREEN AND RUSSET JADE 'MYTHICAL BIRD' SCROLL WEIGHTTianji Wenbao incised four-character mark, 18th centuryThe domed weight finely carved as a mythical bird with a single crest and pointed beak, on a circular base with its wings outstretched as if ready for flight, the slightly-flared wings flanking a bulbous body, the long tail feathers elegantly curled in various directions, all meticulously incised with well-defined feathers suggesting vivid movement, the base incised with a four-character 'Tianji Wenbao' mark within a dense ground of C-scrolls, the smoothly-polished stone of pale-green tone with beige and russet inclusions. 6.1cm (2 3/8in) diam. Footnotes:十八世紀 朱雀玉鎮「天雞文寶」刻款Provenance: an important European private collection來源：歐洲重要私人收藏The present lot is an outstanding example inspired by an earlier design dating to the Han dynasty. This rhythmically-carved bird is remarkable for its intricate relief decoration in various depths, displaying exceptional technique in carving the naturalistic and three-dimensional rendering of the jade bird. During the Han dynasty, weights of similar shape to the present example were made of precious materials such as jade or gilt-bronze and likely made for use by high-ranking members of society. In this context, these weights were usually produced in sets of four, each in the shape of a human figure or a mythical animal or bird representing one of the four Directions of the Universe. The Red Bird depicted on the present lot represented South and would have been used in conjunction with the White Tiger symbolising West, the Green Dragon of the East and the Black Tortoise of the North. Sitting at the centre of a cosmic diagram signified being the pivot and recipient of all the forces of the universe, symbolic of the Chinese emperors. The present lot is closely related to a line drawing of a bronze weight in the shape of a mythical bird, Han dynasty, published in the 'Catalogue of Ancient Ritual Bronzes' Xiqing Gujian Xiqing gujian, vol.38, p.46. This collection of drawings served as a source of inspiration for the production of contemporary objects, underscoring the emperor's wish to reinstate what he believed to be the intrinsic qualities of simplicity, sincerity and happy exuberance found in the ancient past; 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 inscription incised on the underside of the present lot, Tianji Wenbao, reflects the 18th century trend of paying homage to the historical past, as it literally translates as 'Mythical Bird Cultural Treasure'. A gilt-bronze weight similarly shaped as a mythical bird curling above a circular base is in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, acc.no. 000333N. Compare with a related exceptionally rare jade mythical-bird scroll weight, Han dynasty, illustrated by T.Fok, The Splendour of Jade: The Songzhutang Collection of Jade, Hong Kong, 2011, pl.74, which was later sold at Bonhams Hong Kong, 30 May 2017, lot 54.青玉圓雕一朱雀鳥呈振翅待飛姿勢，留皮巧雕出雀鳥頭部及羽翼。雀鳥眼眶以陰刻方式表現，鳥喙短銳而渾圓有力，頭上有一撮羽冠向後垂在頸上。羽翼微張，以陰線勾勒出波摺層次。兩側浮雕腿足，憨態可掬。底部陰刻流動雲紋，中央刻「天雞文寶」篆書款。本例形制源於漢朝席鎮。桌椅普遍使用之前，人們席地而坐，室內所設床榻也需鋪席。席鎮遂用於席的四隅以避免起身落座時折卷席角。皇室貴冑常用材料貴重的銅鎮、玉鎮，且造型豐富，以人物和動物形最為多見，通常以一組四件使用。此朱雀玉鎮應為一組四件中的一件。朱雀是中國傳統文化中的「四靈」之一，和青龍、白虎、玄武共同表示四方，即左青龍（東）、右白虎（西）、前朱雀（南）、後玄武（北）。能以四像神獸形的席鎮置於四隅，寓意著席鎮主人位於東南西北四方的中央，暗示著使用者舉足輕重的地位。宋代以後，席鎮原始的功能逐漸消失，文人常取獸形鎮以為鎮紙之用。此玉鎮之造型與乾隆時期《西清古鑑》卷三十八「書鎮」中一漢鳩鎮的線描圖相似。《西清古鑑》是乾隆十四年下旨編制收錄清代宮廷所藏古代青銅器的大型譜錄。乾隆皇帝好古敏求，崇尚慕古之風，認為古物樸素、精純、高雅、有意涵，曾交《考古圖》、《西清古鑑》等予玉工作為製作新製玉器時造型、紋飾的藍本。詳見張麗端著，《宮廷之雅：清代仿古及畫意玉器特展圖錄》，台北，1997年，頁49-50。本玉鎮之原型有兩例可資參考，台北國立故宮博物ƀ... For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
AN ARCHAIC BRONZE RITUAL FOOD VESSEL AND COVER, DOUEastern Zhou DynastyThe bowl raised on a high stem, the body cast with stylised dragons beneath two bands of densely arranged S-scrolls, the sides set with a pair of loop handles, the same design repeated on the cover surrounding the everted finial decorated with interlacing designs, the pale green patina with scattered malachite encrustations. 20cm (8in) high.Footnotes:東周 青銅蟠虺紋豆Provenance: an important European private collection來源：歐洲重要私人收藏Crisply cast in low relief with interlacing designs of repeated minuscule units, each composed of a diagonal braid with C-designs in its upper left and right corners, the present vessel is a fine example of grain receptacles used in ritual performances to worship the ancestors during the Eastern Zhou Period (771-256 BC).The origin of the dou can be traced back to the shallow pottery tazza of the Longshan culture during the late Neolithic Period. The form continued to be in common use throughout the Shang and Zhou dynasties. It was in the Western Zhou period that attempts were made to embellish the simple pottery form by fashioning it from lacquer over a wood core, or casting it in bronze.Bronze versions of the dou vessel, such as the present example, the standard shape being shallow bowls with straight vertical sides rising from tall pedestal feet, are likely to have developed during the Western Zhou period (1047-772 BC). Archaeological excavations suggest that the further refinement of the domed lid and the lug handles were added to the vessel at the beginning of the Eastern Zhou period. During the Eastern Zhou dynasty, dou vessels gradually replaced their gui counterpart to become the most essential grain containers in a ritual vessel set; see J.So, Eastern Zhou Ritual Bronzes in the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, London, 1996, pp.179-180.Compare the shape and fine decoration and its arrangement on the present vessel with a related bronze dou, late Spring and Autumn period, 6th century BC, illustrated by J.So, Eastern Zhou Ritual Bronzes in the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, London, 1996, no.24.A similar bronze ritual food vessel and cover, dou, 6th century BC, was sold at Christie's New York, 19 September 2013, lot 1108.豆為食器，新石器時代晚期的龍山文化即有黑陶陶豆出土，商周時期，青銅豆得以大量使用。青銅豆延續了陶豆類高足盤的形制，約於西周時期逐漸演化出上為淺碗形盤、中呈柱形柄、柄下圈足的標準器型；東周時期更常見穹頂形蓋及環耳。東周以後，豆逐漸取代簋的地位，成為祭祀儀式中盛放黍稷等穀物的重要禮器。見蘇芳淑著，《Eastern Zhou Ritual Bronzes in the Arthur M. Sackler Collections》，倫敦，1996年，頁179-180。本例主體飾蟠虺紋，細緻繁密，交錯往復，應為模印壓製而成，是東周青銅紋飾的典型風格。形制及紋飾相關的他例可參考一件春秋晚期，公元前六世紀青銅豆，見蘇芳淑著，《Eastern Zhou Ritual Bronzes in the Arthur M. Sackler Collections》，倫敦，1996年，編號24。另可比較一例相似的春秋晚期，公元前六世紀青銅豆，售於紐約佳士得，2013年9月19日，拍品編號1108。For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A VERY RARE ARCHAIC BRONZE FOOD VESSEL, YULate Shang Dynasty, 13th-12th century BCThe deep rounded sides crisply cast in high relief with four large taotie masks separated by vertical notched flanges, separating confronted birds on the pedestal foot, the pairs of similar birds below the everted rim divided by small animal masks, all reserved on leiwen bands, with a mottled milky-green patina and some buff earth encrustation, the base cast with two pictograms reading Jiran 己冉. 25.5cm (10in) diam.Footnotes:商晚期 青銅饕餮紋己冉盂Provenance: Kaikodo, New York, Autumn 2001A European private collectionChristie's New York, 21 September 2004, lot 153An important European private collectionPublished: Kaikodo Journal, New York, Autumn 2001, no.52, pp.184-185 and 332-335.來源：美國紐約古董商懷古堂，2001年秋歐洲私人舊藏紐約佳士得，2004年9月21日，拍品編號153歐洲重要私人收藏出版著錄：《懷古堂圖錄》，紐約，2001年秋，編號52，頁184-185及332-335This vessel has an inscription cast in the interior with two characters reading Jiran 己冉, which relates to the powerful clan for which the vessel was produced. The present piece is notable and rare for its exceptionally large size, the swelling volume and the crisp decoration of taotie masks beneath a band of bovine heads interspersed in relief amidst kui dragons.Archaic bronze food vessels, yu are among the most highly prized and technically sophisticated objects manufactured in Bronze Age China. Reserved for use by the most powerful families of the time, they carried offerings of grain and vegetables presented to the ancestors during the performance of elaborate rituals and were often accompanied in burials by tripod vessels, ding. The role of these elaborate bronze vessels was fundamental in ensuring the continuity of family lines, as it was believed that ancestors were active participants in the life of their living offspring, which they could positively influence if provided with continuous nourishment.The extant number of skilfully-made vessels in ancient China testifies to a highly-organised bronze casting industry at the time. Hundreds of men were employed in mining, smelting and transporting metal from mining areas to the capital and the workshops. In addition, the large quantities of material required and the many stages involved in the casting process depended upon subdividing the tasks among a large number of workmen. No single craftsman contributed to every stage in the production of a particular vessels. Workshops were therefore large in size and specialised mould-makers, casters and finishers were required to make the vessels; see J.Rawson, 'Bronze Metal Circulation in China' in Antiquity, vol.91, issue 357, 2017, pp.674-687.Yu vessels were popular during the late Shang dynasty, particularly during the Yinxu period (circa 13th-11th centuries BC). The physical form of the yu, consisting of a round body rising from a splayed foot, may have derived from a pottery prototype. Unlike the food vessels gui that were prevalent during the succeeding Western Zhou dynasty, yu do not have ring handles. Oracle-bone inscriptions dating to the Shang dynasty depict the yu vessel as a pictograph depicting a food container with a hand holding a spoon, and according to research, this vessel was used specifically for making offering of grains and vegetables, and was often paired with the tripod ding vessels storing cooked meat of various kinds.Bronze vessels dating to the Shang dynasty were often cast with pictograms, such as the present example. These symbols included birds, weapons or humanoid figures, and usually referred to the names of either the aristocratic owners who commissioned the vessels, or the ancestors to whom the vessel was dedicated.The three basic designs employed on the present vessel, comprising alternating bands decorated with taotie and kui dragons interspersed with bovine heads, are often found on vessels belonging to the highest-ranking members of society, dating to the later phases of the Shang dynasty. The tomb of Fu Hao (d.circa 1200 BC), favourite consort of the Shang emperor Wu Ding, for example, yielded a bronze yu vessel decorated with similar schemes to the present example, and is illustrated by J.So, Shang Ritual Bronzes in the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, Washington DC, 1987, p.499, fig.96.5. A related bronze yu vessel, Shang dynasty, formerly in the collection of Dr.A.F. Philips, was sold at Sotheby's New York, 22 March 2011, lot 14.器內鑄「己冉」二字銘文。己應為日名，冉則為族徽文字，表明器主所在的族氏。盂為青銅禮器中的盛食器，多見侈口深腹圈足，有獸首耳或附耳，少量無耳，器形似簋而大。中英文世界對此類器物定名不一，此處沿用盂的叫法。「盂」字自甲骨文起就以像形造字，形似一手持勺於食物容器之上。學者研究認為，盂一般用於存放黍稷等穀物和蔬菜，常與盛放肉類的鼎搭配使用。盂最早出現於商晚期前段，流行於西周，春秋時期尚有所見。此例直口寬唇無耳，屬商晚期典型器型。深腹，近底內斂，下有高圈足外撇。頸部與圈足均飾相對變形夔紋，腹部主體紋飾為饕餮紋，怒目圓睜，與頸部中心的高浮雕牛首相輔相成。整體紋飾以雷紋填底，多層次的淺浮雕線條勁利，渾然天成。本例的獨特紋飾，即器身交替出現的饕餮和夔紋飾帶，以及中心的浮雕牛首裝飾，常見於商代晚期高級貴族之用具。商王武丁之寵... For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A gold-splashed bronze incense burner, guiXuande four-character mark, Qing DynastyOf bombé form decorated with a stylised ruyi band beneath a waisted neck decorated with a twisted-rope pattern, the sides with a pair of s-shaped handles beneath a channelled mouthrim, decorated overall with irregular gold splashes. 10cm (4in) wide.Footnotes:清 銅灑金簋式爐「宣德年製」楷書橫款Provenance: Sotheby's London, 13 May 2009, lot 239 (part lot)An important European private collection來源：倫敦蘇富比，2009年5月13日，拍品編號239（部分）歐洲重要私人收藏The shape of the present incense burner appears to have been directly inspired by a ritual bronze food vessel, gui, employed to present sacrificial offerings to the ancestors during the Shang and Zhou dynasties. Compare with two related gold-splashed bronze incense burners, gui, 17th century, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated by C.K.Chen, A Special Exhibition of Incense Burner and Perfumers Throughout the Dynasties, Taipei, 1994, pp.196-197, nos.51 and 52.爐型仿商周時期重要禮器簋。對比台北國立故宮博物院館藏兩例十七世紀銅灑金簋式爐，收錄於陳擎光著，《故宮歷代香具圖錄》，台北，1994年，頁196-197，編號51與52。For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A GOLD-SPLASHED BRONZE INCENSE BURNER, GUIXuande seal mark, 18th centuryThe vessel of archaistic gui shape, the bombé sides flanked by two handles issuing from animal masks, the base cast with a Xuande four-character mark, the bronze with a dark brown patina dotted with irregular gold splashes. 21cm (8 2/8in) wide.Footnotes:十八世紀 銅灑金獸耳簋式爐「宣德年製」篆书款Provenance: an important European private collection來源：歐洲重要私人收藏The shape of this bronze incense burner is inspired by a late Shang or early Zhou dynasty bronze food vessel, gui. The origin of the gold-splashed decoration on bronze vessels remains a source of speculation. It has been suggested by scholars as possibly taking place during the Shang and Zhou periods, when the appearance of gold-splashing on archaic bronze vessels was regarded as an accidental result of uneven patination of the bronze vessel. Compare with a gold-splashed bronze incense burner,17th century, featuring a very similar body to the present lot, which was sold at Christie's London, 5 November 2019, lot 82.有清一代，仿古之風盛行，乾隆皇帝諭令將內府庋藏的青銅器分門別類，編成《西清古鑑》等譜錄類圖書，引領一代好古風潮。本品爐型仿商周時期重要禮器簋，侈口，束頸，圓鼓腹下垂，圈足微撇。頸飾雙獸耳，彎曲有度。通體灑金，參差錯落，分佈自然。爐底減地陽文「宣德年製」四字篆書款。一件十七世紀銅灑金蚰耳簋式爐，售於倫敦佳士得，2019年11月5日，拍品編號82，可為參考。For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A FINE AND RARE HUANGHUALI RECESSED-LEG TABLE, QIAOTOUAN17th/18th centuryThe table defined by a single plank top panel terminating in everted flanges, fitted to the legs and spandrels using the traditional bridle joint, supported on slightly-flared legs, joined by a recessed panel carved with openwork designs of entwined chilong. 100cm (39 3/8in) wide x 90cm (35 1/2in) high x 36cm (14 1/8in) deep.Footnotes:十七/十八世紀 黃花梨翹頭案Provenance: Grace Wu Bruce, Hong KongThe Feng Wen Tang collection, Hong KongChristie's Hong Kong, 3 June 2015, lot 2835An important European private collection來源：香港古董商嘉木堂香港奉文堂舊藏香港佳士得，2015年6月3日，拍品編號2835歐洲重要私人收藏The present table is notable for the attractive grain and rich honey colour of its prized huanghuali wood, the intricately-reticulated side panels, and the shaped spandrels which are joined in tongue-grooved fashion to the trestle legs, providing additional structural support.Long narrow rectangular tables with upturned flanges were popular in wealthy households during the Ming and Qing dynasty, demonstrating the high status of their owners. They are discussed in Wen Zhenheng's (1585-1645) influential 'Treatise on Superfluous Things' Zhang wu zhi, a 17th century guide to refined taste. In this work, Wen mentions that such tables were placed against a wall and underneath a painting, holding seasonal flowers, scholar's rocks or miniature tray-landscapes. Although Wen warned against the use of excessive carving, the lively openwork panels depicting entwined chilong on the present table balance the simplicity of the apron and spandrels.According to Sarah Handler, the design for this type of rectangular table derives from altar tables made from as early as the Eastern Zhou dynasty (771-256 BC). These early tables featured upturned ends and are depicted on archaic bronzes from this period, such as a bronze yi vessel dated to the Eastern Zhou period, illustrated by M.Fong, 'The Origin of Chinese Pictorial Representation of the Human Figure', Artibus Asiae, 1988, vol.49, fig.4, p.22. The use of upturned flanges, however, appears to have disappeared prior to the Ming period, when these long rectangular tables gained popularity. The flanges served as a reference to China's illustrious past, which enhances the table's commanding presence within the rooms; see S.Handler, 'Side Tables, a Surface for Treasures and the Gods', in Chinese Furniture: Selected Articles from Orientations, 1984-1999, Hong Kong, 1999, pp.200-209. The carved designs on this table display bold vigour and freedom. Compare the combination of interlocking angular scrolls on the shaped spandrels and the unusual depiction of a male, female and young chilong as seen on a related but larger qiaotouan table, Ming/Qing dynasty, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, illustrated by S.Handler, The Austere Luminosity of Chinese Classical Furniture, Los Angeles and London, 2001, p.237, fig.14:16. See also a related huanghuali table, Ming dynasty, in the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Furniture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Hong Kong, 2002, pp.156-157, no.136. A further example, Ming dynasty, is illustrated by G.Ecke, Chinese Domestic Furniture, Rutland, Vermont and Tokyo, 1962, pl.82. A related but larger huanghuali recessed-leg table, qiaotouan, 17th/18th century, was sold at Sotheby's London, 11 November 2015, lot 8.獨板案面翹頭，連牙條與腿夾頭榫結構，面下直牙，牙條與牙頭一木連做，沿口起陽線，花牙頭雕雲雷紋，銜接牙堵成環匝，直腿微微外撇，腿間管腳棖下鑲壺門形縧環板，內透雕螭龍紋，底棖下裝平素牙子，香爐式足。案面兩端帶有高起的翹頭，稱之為翹頭案。此類帶托泥、側鑲擋板的條案皆屬《長物誌》之「飛角平圓」的「天然几」；常見於明清大戶門第中，無論置於廳堂、兩廂乃至書齋，或陳設珍玩彝器，或書寫作畫，或如明文震亨於《長物誌》中所描繪的「置奇石，或時花盆景之屬」，用途不一。據Sarah Handler所稱，此種兩端高起的矩形桌案的原型最早可追溯至東周時期的供桌，可見於東周匜上紋飾，參考M.Fong著〈The Origin of Chinese Pictorial Representation of the Human Figure〉，收錄於《Artibus Asiae》，1988年，第49期，頁22，圖4。明以後，條案大量流行，翹頭的設計既有實用價值，增大了桌案在一室空間內的存在體量，又呼應了古代傳統，見S.Handler著，〈Side Tables , a Surface for Treasures and the Gods〉，收錄於《Chinese Furniture: Selected Articles from Orientations, 1984-1999》，香港，1999年，頁200-209。本例擋板精雕細琢，線條旋回流暢，刀法圓熟自如。紐約大都會博物館館藏一件明至清翹頭案，較本例尺寸稍大，同樣雕飾子母螭龍 ... This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TP YTP Lot will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.Y Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A GOLD-SPLASHED BRONZE LOBED INCENSE BURNER, LIDINGXuande six-character mark, Qing DynastyThe compressed body of hexalobed form raised on three low feet and set with two upright loop handles on the rim, the exterior decorated with irregular splashes of gold, the base with an apocryphal Xuande six-character mark. 15.5cm (6 1/8in) wide.Footnotes:清 銅灑金立耳爐「大明宣德年製」楷書款Provenance: Sotheby's Paris, 9 June 2010, lot 151An important European private collection來源：巴黎蘇富比，2010年6月9日，拍品編號151歐洲重要私人收藏The unusual archaistic form of the present incense burner, modified into an hexagonal lobed body, may have been based on an earlier design introduced during the later phases of the Ming dynasty as variations to the classic forms of earlier periods; see P.Moss, Documentary Chinese Works of Art in Scholar's Taste, London, 1983, p.232, where he mentions that a variety of unusual shapes displaying highly individualistic features were created during the later decades of the Ming dynasty.本品造型獨到，氣韻古雅，整體呈六棱式，並以動感的線條鑄出花瓣層疊的效果。其原型應為明後期基於經典爐式的變形爐型，承襲了明式仿古設計，但下呈三隻直立乳足等細節又是清朝式樣。有關明晚期宣德款銅爐的詳細論述，可參考P.Moss著，《Documentary Chinese Works of Art in Scholar's Taste》，倫敦，1983年，頁232。For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A GOLD-SPLASHED BRONZE INCENSE BURNER, GUIXuande six-character mark, 17th/18th centuryThe vessel of bombé form supported on a short spreading foot, cast with a pair of loop handles, the bronze patinated to a warm chocolate tone liberally decorated with irregular gold splashes, the base cast with a Xuande six-character mark. 19cm (7 1/2in) wide.Footnotes:十七/十八世紀 銅灑金蚰龍耳簋式爐「大明宣德年製」楷書款Provenance: an important European private collection來源：歐洲重要私人收藏Elegantly decorated with irregular spots and flakes of gold, seemingly emerging from the alloy at different angles, the present vessel is notable for its subtle and pleasing overall appearance.The origin of gold splashes on bronze is unclear. A possible moment of inspiration for the present vessel may have been the Ming dynasty. This is suggested by a line drawing of a gold-splashed incense burner in the 'Illustrated Catalogue of of the Ritual Vessels of the Xuande Period' Xuande Yiqi Tupu. The work purports to be the wording of an Imperial decree of 1428 ordering bronzes for the palace. Many scholars, however, have argued that the this work may have been published at a later stage than the Ming dynasty; see R.Kerr, Later Chinese Bronzes, London, 1990, p.18.Compare with a similar gold-splashed bronze incense burner, Xuande six-character mark, 17th-18th century, illustrated by S.Moss, The Second Bronze Age. Later Chinee Metalwork, London, 1991, no.56.See also a gold-splashed bronze incense burner censer, Xuande six-character mark, 17th century, of similar size and shape to the present lot, which was sold at Christie's London, 5 November 2019, lot 82.侈口，束頸，圓鼓腹下垂，圈足外撇。爐身兩側置雙蚰耳，起自頸部，收於腹部。通體灑金，參差錯落，妙得神韻。爐底中央鑄減地陽文「大明宣德年製」六字楷書款。本品所用的灑金工藝或創於明代，較傳統的鎏金工藝工序繁複許多，但起源尚不明晰。《宣德彝器圖譜》繪有一件灑金銅爐，可資證明。《宣德彝器圖譜》據傳編撰於1428年，然而也有學者認為其成書時間或晚於明代。參見R.Kerr著，《Later Chinese Bronzes》，倫敦，1990年，頁18。參考一件十七至十八世紀銅灑金簋式爐，「大明宣德年製」款，收錄於S.Moss，《The Second Bronze Age. Later Chinee Metalwork》，1991年，編號56。另有一件十七世紀銅灑金蚰龍耳簋式爐，形制大小皆似本例，且同樣鑄有宣德仿款，售於倫敦佳士得，2019年11月5日，拍品編號82，可資比對。For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A RARE GOLD-SPLASHED BRONZE ELEPHANT-HEAD-HANDLED INCENSE BURNER, GUIGu Shi mark, 17th/18th centuryThe vessel heavily cast with an inverted bell-shaped body decorated with a bowstring band around the mid-section, flanked by a pair of elephant-head handles, the burner of olive-brown colour with splashes of gold, the recessed base cast with a two-character inscription Gu Shi translating as 'Archaic Style'. 15cm (5 7/8in) wide.Footnotes:十七/十八世紀 銅灑金象耳簋式爐「古式」篆書款Provenance: Christie's Hong Kong, 6 April 2015, lot 153 An important European private collection來源：香港佳士得，2015年4月6日，拍品編號153歐洲重要私人收藏Heavily cast with a rounded body rising from a short spreading foot and finely decorated with irregular spots and flakes of gold, the present vessel is notable for its subtle elegance and pleasing overall appearance. Compare with a related but larger bronze incense burner cast on the base with a three-character Xuande mark, 17th/18th century, which was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 3 October 2018, lot 3675. See also two bronze incense burners with elephant-shaped handles, Xuande marks, 17th/18th century, illustrated in Kumamoto City Museum, Special Exhibition of Carved Ivory and Bronze Incense Burners in the Collection of the National Museum of History, Kumamoto, 1997, nos.217 and 218.簋式爐形，口平而微侈，筒形腹，高束脛，直立圈足。肩頸部出雙象耳，象鼻與爐身相連。通體灑金，參差錯落。爐底鑄「古式」二字篆書款。象耳爐之器型，取「太平有象」之意，寓意吉祥。比較一件與本例相關但尺寸稍大的十七至十八世紀銅象耳簋式爐，「宣德年製」仿款，售於香港蘇富比，2018年10月3日，拍品編號3675。另有兩例十七至十八世紀銅象耳爐，皆鑄有宣德仿款，收錄於熊本市立博物館，《Special exhibition of carved ivory and bronze incense burners in the collection of the National Museum of History》，熊本，1997年，編號217與218。For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A late 19th century Gothic Revival bronze casket or jewellery box, maker's mark AFC in a hexagon, for Adolph Frankau & Co, London, 29.5cms wide. Provenance: Berwick House, Shropshire Condition Report: Would benefit from a clean, lining glue has perished and some lining detached- no key, see images Condition Report Disclaimer
A French or Italian patinated bronze model of Ceres after the Antique, second half 19th century, portrayed standing and fully draped, mounted to a stepped marble plinth and further mahogany base, 49cm high overall Condition Report: Mahogany base possibly previously lamp fitting Condition Report Disclaimer
A French or Italian patinated bronze allegorical model of a putto, probably emblematic of Science, in the manner of models by Antonio Canova, 19th century, portrayed seated and reading, partially draped, mounted to a stepped verde antico plinth applied with later labels ANTONIO CANOVA and ALLEGORY OF SCIENCE, CIRCA to the reverse, 26cm high overall Condition Report: surface with numerous wear from handling- right knee rubbed approximate base dimensions 35cm x 20cm Overall height approximately 26-28cm Approximate weight 15-20KG Condition Report Disclaimer
After Eutrope Bouret (French, 1833-1906), a patinated bronze model of a flower seller, the standing boy portrayed in rustic dress and holding baskets and flowers, on a circular socle, inscribed Bouret in the maquette and with Bronze Garanti foundry stamp, 41cm high Condition Report: No significant damages noted Condition Report Disclaimer
An early 19th century bronze table thermometer, probably French, brushed steel dial with mercurial tube, flanked by pair of classical style terms beneath triangular and swag pediment feet, rectangular lappet base, 18cm high Condition Report: Will benefit from a clean. One screw missing to reverse Condition Report Disclaimer
Y A late 19th century finely carved ivory seal as a skull above wine and grape decorated stem, probably French, blank seal matrix, 11.5cms high; and a bronze seal modelled as Father Time, 11.8cms high (2). Provenance: Berwick House, Shropshire Condition Report: Skull- will benefit from a clean- teeth missing may be original to manufacture, typical shrinkage cracks, Father time- lacking scythe- right hand rough and little finger with loss- screw hole to reverse of head. Condition Report Disclaimer
Pair of bronze-effect Jingchang ceramics (model 320236) lamps, 41.5cm x 44cm approx Condition: Sold as seen, electrics not guaranteed or tested, firing faults in places with some light scratches, please check extra images which may show some condition issues. **Due to current lockdown conditions this is an online-only sale and bidders are only able to view lots by appointment. Please therefore read the following: As this is a sale of second-hand and antique items, bidders should expect items to exhibit general wear and tear commensurate with age and use unless otherwise stated. Please carefully examine the images as they form part of the overall condition. Clevedon Salerooms are happy to provide further detailed information on request, if received by email or telephone at least 24 hours prior to the sale. The mention of a specific flaw or fault does not automatically mean that no other faults exist. Reports are provided as a goodwill gesture and are a general assessment, not a forensic survey. Further category-specific condition information can be found in our Standard Terms and Conditions. The placing of a bid by you is taken by us as an indication that you have read, understood and agreed to these terms.
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