We found 13121 price guide item(s) matching your search

Two Chinese hardstone Cong beads, the largest 4cms high; together with a Chinese jade carving (a/f); and a Chinese oval metal panel decorated with calligraphy (4).

A painted tin deeds trunk, the front panel having painted calligraphy 'LEASES IN FORCE' 48cm wide

A late 19th / early 20th century Chinese wooden tea box, the panels decorated with figures in a landscape and calligraphy, 22cms wide.

A 19th century Chinese watercolour and penwork painting, depicting a figure in a landscape with calligraphy, framed and glazed, 51cm by 30cm

A pair of Chinese blue & white vases decorated with calligraphy, 25cms high; together with a turquoise glazed fo dog, 21cms high; and a group of mostly Asian ceramics.Condition ReportMost pieces are as found.

A COLLECTION OF THREE RARE 8TH - 9TH CENTURY UMAYYAD YELLOW AND GREEN GLAZED BORDER TILES, depicting Kufic calligraphy, (3).

A FINE 13TH CENTURY PERSIAN MINAIE POTTERY BOWL, with figural decoration and Kufic calligraphy interior and exterior rim, 17cm diameter.

A FINE EARLY ISLAMIC CARVED STONE OIL LAMP with Kufic calligraphy.

A FINE 14TH CENTURY MAMLUK TINNED COPPER BOWL, with calligraphy and Arabesque decoration, 19cm diameter.

A FINE AND UNUSUAL EARLY 19TH CENTURY MUGHAL INDIAN LIDDED POTTERY ALBARELLO, with Persian calligraphy, 26cm high.

A LARGE 17TH CENTURY TINNED COPPER BASIN, with calligraphy and engraved fish decoration, possibly Deccani or Safavid Persian, 36cm diameter.

A FINE 19TH CENTURY INDIAN MINIATURE PAINTING, depicting holy saints, fine calligraphy to verso, 30cm x 18cm.

A VERY FINE 12TH-13TH CENTURY PERSIAN SELJUK KHORASSAN COPPER INLAID BRONZE BUCKET, depicting mythical creatures and Kufic calligraphy, 12cm high (excluding handle).

THREE 19TH CENTURY IRANIAN ENGRAVED BRASS PIECES; comprising a twin handle vase / vessel with calligraphy, a candle holder with engraved panels of figures, and a lidded jug, (3).

A 11TH-12TH CENTURY ISLAMIC POTTERY FOOTED BOWL, with moulded calligraphy, 15cm diameter.

A decorative eastern copper, brass and white metal bangle with overlaid calligraphy, inner diameter 6.5 cm

A Chinese Calligraphy on Paper Scroll Together with a Red Lacquered Canister

ISLAMIC CALLIGRAPHY FRAMED PICTURE

A GRISAILLE ENAMEL INSCRIBED ‘THE FAMILY INSTRUCTIONS OF ZHU XI’ BRUSH POT清代 墨彩『朱子家訓』筆筒China, 19th century.Of upright cylindrical form, inscribed with vertical lines of calligraphy against a white groundH: 12.2cm

A CELADON AND RUSSET GILT INCISED JUE SHAPED CUP清代 白玉帶皮描金山水詩文爵杯China, Qing dynastythe open vessel incised with Greek-key collar, the body finely incised with a landscape and a calligraphy filled with gilt, supported on short scroll feetH.  8.4 cm

AN INCISED WHITE GLAZED DRAGON MEIPING VASE清代 永樂年制款 白釉暗刻龍紋梅瓶China, 19th century.Of traditional shape with short flared neck and shouldered tapering body, incised around the body with a dragon in flight, with linear text in  'zhuanshu' calligraphy mark of Yongle, above a row of upright lappets to the foot.H: 25.8cm

SHEN ZHUBIN/ SHEN ZHUO (?-1904 )Album with nine double-page ‘birds and flowers’ paintings with calligraphy紙本設色 沈竹賓先生花鳥畫冊Size. 27.7 x 18cm (per page)NOTEShen Zhubin, also known as Shen Zuo and styled as Zhubin, originally named Luo, was a native of Wujiang, Jiangsu. Skilled in painting, he employed two distinct styles of brushwork: one imitated Wang Xuegao, and the other resembled Xi Gang, with the latter being particularly outstanding.沈竹賓 沈焯字竹賓，原名雒，又號墨壺外史，江蘇吳江人。 工畫，筆墨有兩種：一種全摹王學誣;一種神似奚岡，而以似奚者為尤勝。 在禾無所遇，後至姑蘇，名大噪，征索者無虛日。 而筆墨又變而為文、唐矣。 波折遒勁，峭拔險刻，取意不屑平庸，吳人又樂此一派，而似奚者，遂不多作。 胡公壽、楊南湖皆師之。 Condition Report: -folds-stains

AFTER GAI QIAlbum of 'The twenty-four filial exemplars' 晚清 - 民國 “改琦”款 ‘二十四孝册页’，China, early 20th centuryInk and colour on paper, with twenty-four double page laid on a soft cardboard by two, both left pages inscribed with a long calligraphy, both right pages adorned with ink and colours, depicting twenty-four stories of filial exemplars. The binding method of the art book follows the production techniques of early 20th-century.Size: - each double page in total: 60 x 30 cm         - each single page: 30 x 30 cmProvenance: French private collection出處：法國私人收藏NOTEThe Twenty-four Filial Exemplars, also translated as The Twenty-four Paragons of Filial Piety, is a classic text of Confucian filial piety written by Guo Jujing during the Yuan dynasty (1260–1368). The text was extremely influential in the medieval Far East and was used to teach Confucian moral values. 

Ca. AD 1100-1200.A gold finger ring composed of a round hoop with a smooth interior and exterior, providing a comfortable fit for the wearer. The central beaded decoration, meticulously applied to the hoop, adds an elegant touch and enhances the overall aesthetic appeal of the ring. A pyramidal-shaped bezel with lateral supports is applied to the hoop. The bezel itself is intricately embellished with filigree work. At the centre of the bezel, a nicolo intaglio is held in place by four prongs. This intaglio is masterfully engraved with a script, depicting intricate calligraphy. The use of the nicolo stone, with its distinctive alternating bands of color, adds depth and visual impact to the ring. Size: D:16.71mm / US: 6 1/4 / UK: M; Weight: 6g Provenance: Property of a West London gentleman; previously in a collection formed on the UK/International art market in the 1990s.

Ca. AD 1200.A gold finger ring of a round hoop with a meticulously decorated bezel setting with applied turquoise gem set within four claws, inscribed with calligraphy. For a similar example, see Christie's, Online Auction 19742, Calligraphy: Art in Writing, 7 April 2021, Lot 6. Size: D:17.12mm / US: 6 3/4 / UK: N; Weight: 13g Provenance: Private London family collection; formed between 1970-2008.

Ca. 1100-1200 AD.A bronze oil lamp featuring a discoid body that is covered by a hinged lid with an intricate openwork and pointed finial. The lamp's front displays two channels with ivy leaf-shaped spouts that evoke the beauty of nature, while the rear boasts a handle with a loop and a decorative openwork finial that provides a comfortable grip and adds to the lamp's elegant design. Perhaps the most remarkable feature of this lamp is the three bent stylised legs with hoof-shaped finials on which it sits, adding a sense of grace and movement to the overall composition. The legs not only provide a stable base for the lamp but also elevate it to a level of aesthetic sophistication that is characteristic of Seljuk metalwork. Bronze oil lamps were an essential part of daily life, serving as a primary source of illumination in homes and public spaces. They were not only functional but also served as objects of artistic and cultural significance, displaying intricate designs and expert craftsmanship. Seljuk bronze oil lamps were often decorated with intricate openwork, calligraphy, and geometric patterns, reflecting the influence of Islamic art and culture. These lamps were also designed to be portable, making them ideal for use in both indoor and outdoor settings. Size: 180mm x 200mm ; Weight: 800g Provenance: Property of a London Islamic art specialist collector; previously in a collection formed since the 1980s.

Cairoware brass and white metal inlaid box, hinged lid with clasp lock and an allover pattern of calligraphy, 6 x 14cm.

Medieval bible leaf, manuscript calligraphy on vellum, in a double sided frame, with certificate of authenticity dating this to c1260, Northern France, manuscript size 10 x 16cm, overall frame is 31 x 39cm

20th century Chinese blue and white porcelain plaque, rectangular form, painted with an edler and a child beneath a lingzhi tree, with calligraphy script, 25 x 37cm

A Chinese ink calligraphy on a silk-mounted scroll, 58 x 176cm.

A pair of inked and gold leaf calligraphy scrolls, 201 x 44cm.

A horizontal ink calligraphy silk-mounted scroll, 79 x 182cm.

A Chinese ink calligraphy on red paper with gold leaf, 43 x 177cm.

A pair of inked calligraphy couplet mounted scrolls with gold leaf splash, 41 x 175cm.

A Chinese hardwood item with calligraphy and signature on one panel, L. 25.5cm. Probably a musical instrument.

Two 20th century Japanese kakemono, the first example depicting a puffer fish, the second with Japanese Calligraphy

Antique Indian woven square with painted detail depicting sailing ships, figures in temple garden settings, approx 41 x 41 cms, framed and glazed. This lot includes a panel of carved Indian calligraphy, perhaps a template for printing, approx 34 x 8 cms. (2)

EMI Abbey Road Studios: A Psychedelic Fibre Optic Illuminated Sign From The Famous Abbey Road Studios In London,circa 1970,comprising; a glass top, layered with acetate detailed with a psychedelic design spelling 'EMI Abbey Road', the underneath with numerous fibre optic strands, the reverse affixed with a motor which rotates a hand-painted coloured disc allowing the colour fed through the fibre optics to change from gold, to red, green, blue and yellow, housed in a metal frame with a wooden backboard, 24 1/2in x 24 1/2in (62cm x 62cm)Footnotes:Provenance:Offered by Mike Hedges who worked as a Producer at Abbey Road Studios from 1979 to 1989.The EMI Abbey Road logo was designed by ex-studio designer and special projects manager Alan Brown who – drawing on his interests in calligraphy and lettering - was tasked with designing a new logo for Abbey Road while working at the studios in the 1960s and 1970s. During his time in the role Alan was also responsible for redesigning the interior of Studio Three as well as installing his spiral artworks and murals in various locations around the studios.'Ken [Townsend, ex-Studios Manager] asked me to formulate a new logo embodying the words Abbey Road within it and so I set about preparing a sequence of designs. Being before the availability of computer aided design, it was a hands-on task involving pen and ink and paper, compasses and brushes. I have no record of the progressive stages involved, but I remember it taking me thirteen attempts to arrive at a design that Ken finally liked and approved. Despite having a sixties' feel about it, it felt right for the time with its spiral form and concentric rings, analogous to record grooves and rills.'– Alan BrownThis sign was installed in the reception area of the EMI Abbey Road Studios in around 1970, originally as a small table before then being displayed on the wall behind the reception desk. This is a special piece of history from the world-renowned recording studios and comes from a time when they were transitioning from EMI to Abbey Road.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

Full title: Zhang Daqian å¼µå¤§åƒ (1898-1983): 'Fo and Shou', calligraphy in ink on gold-speckled paperDescription:Dim.: 52 x 38,5 cm (the frames)Dim.: 38 x 30 cm (the works)Condition reports:Condition reports (unless otherwise specified above):Please contact us on info@rm-auctions.com to request a condition report. Condition reports and high resolution pictures are made available on our website at www.rm-auctions.com. The full list of available condition reports for this sale is available on this link: https://www.rm-auctions.com/en/condition-report/77.

Full title: Wang Renshou 汪ä»å£½ (1875-1936): A fan with crab, chrysanthemum and calligraphy, ink on paper with bamboo, dated 1932Description:L.: 31 cm - W.: 46 cm (opened) Provenance:- The collection of a Belgian connoisseur.Condition reports:Condition reports (unless otherwise specified above):Please contact us on info@rm-auctions.com to request a condition report. Condition reports and high resolution pictures are made available on our website at www.rm-auctions.com. The full list of available condition reports for this sale is available on this link: https://www.rm-auctions.com/en/condition-report/77.

Full title: Miao Jiahui 繆嘉慧 (1842-1918) and Zhao Yitong 趙以烔 (1857-1907): 'An album with ten works of art and calligraphy', ink and colours on silk, 19/20th C.Description:Dim.: 28,5 x 22 cm (the album when closed)Dim.: 19 x 16,5 cm (each drawing)Condition reports:Condition reports (unless otherwise specified above):Please contact us on info@rm-auctions.com to request a condition report. Condition reports and high resolution pictures are made available on our website at www.rm-auctions.com. The full list of available condition reports for this sale is available on this link: https://www.rm-auctions.com/en/condition-report/77.

Full title: Ma Yifu 馬一浮 (1883-1967): 'Four calligraphy scrolls', ink on paperDescription:Dim.: 179,5 x 42 cm (each scroll)Dim.: 132,5 x 32 cm (each work)Condition reports:Condition reports (unless otherwise specified above):Please contact us on info@rm-auctions.com to request a condition report. Condition reports and high resolution pictures are made available on our website at www.rm-auctions.com. The full list of available condition reports for this sale is available on this link: https://www.rm-auctions.com/en/condition-report/77.

Full title: Xu Yang å¾æš (1712-1777) and Wu Hufan å³æ¹–帆 (1894-1968): 'Mountainous landscape', dated 1755, with later calligraphy, ink and colours on silkDescription:Dim.: 658 x 24,5 cm (the scroll)Dim.: 189 x 24 cm (the landscape)Condition reports:Condition reports (unless otherwise specified above):Please contact us on info@rm-auctions.com to request a condition report. Condition reports and high resolution pictures are made available on our website at www.rm-auctions.com. The full list of available condition reports for this sale is available on this link: https://www.rm-auctions.com/en/condition-report/77.

A modern Chinese cabinet decorated with birds, branches and calligraphy, with two doors and fourteen drawers, 106 x 91 x 30, Location:G

A collection of Chinese items including a carved fruitwood model of Budai, another cared figure of Shoulao, a Yixing tea set, a calligraphy set, two calligraphy scolls, a taxidermy puffer fish, other taxidermy fish specimens, a shell painted with the SS 'City of Glasgow', a glass model of a temple etc Condition Report:Available upon request

MAGNIFIQUE ET TRÈS RARE GRAND VASE EN PORCELAINE DE LA FAMILLE ROSE À FOND BLEU ET À DÉCOR À L'ORMarque et époque Qianlong (1736-1795)A MAGNIFICENT AND VERY RARE LARGE GILT-DECORATED BLUE-GROUND FAMILLE ROSE 'ONE HUNDRED BOYS AT PLAY' VASEQianlong six-character seal mark and of the periodOf tall baluster form raised on a splayed foot, the rounded body surmounted by a tall waisted neck rising to a wide, trumpet-shaped mouth, each side finely and vividly painted with two large circular panels enclosing a garden scene with young boys at play, gathered in animated groups busily performing a dragon dance, blowing trumpets, playing with cymbals and drums, also playing with animal puppets, riding hobby-horses, carrying lanterns and lighting firecrackers, the scenes framed by trees and shrubs, all within a raised gilt border, reserved against a deep blue ground finely painted in shades of gold with feathery scrollwork issuing large lotus and peony blooms between bands of tall upright lappets around the neck and ruyi-heads around foot, the base with a six-character seal mark in underglaze blue, wood base. 73cm (28 3/4in) high. (2).Footnotes:清乾隆 霽藍地描金花卉紋開光粉彩嬰戲圖大瓶 「大清乾隆年製」款Provenance:Collection of Jules Blanchard (1874-1953), Chazelles-sur-Lyon, acquired in Paris in the early decades of the 20th century, and thence by direct descent in the family to the present owner.來源：巴黎及沙澤勒敘里昂Jules Blanchard（1874-1953）珍藏，於二十世紀初得自巴黎，後經家族流傳至現藏家Exquisitely painted with two large medallions each enclosing lively scenes of groups of young boys at play, set against a luxuriant, rich blue ground finely painted with large scrolling lotus and peony flowers amidst feathery leaves, this magnificent vase is a very fine example of imperial porcelains made during the Qianlong reign. Its sheer size is unusual and must have represented a technical challenge for the potters working in the imperial kilns at Jingdezhen. Yet works such as this vase could only have been made in the imperial kilns under the direction of Tang Yin (1682-1756) whose vast experience and unique understanding of the medium and the porcelain production process combined with his inherent sense of aesthetics pushed potters to create ever bigger and more ambitious pieces. The large surface of the vase presented a blank canvas for the porcelain painters who were tasked to decorate it. They chose a combination of highly ornamental figural and floral designs using bright enamel colours contrasting with a gilt-decorated dark blue glaze. The decoration focuses on two large circular medallions that grace each side of the generously rounded body of the vase. Each medallion is exquisitely painted with a bucolic garden setting bordered by craggy rockwork and gnarled pines, flowering prunus and clusters of bamboo, providing the background for animated groups of small boys engaged in a variety of activities: while some boys are performing a dragon dance with a vibrant pink and pale blue dragon held aloft tall sticks, others are playing with animal puppets in the form of three life-like goats and a caparisoned elephant, yet others are carrying festively adorned lanterns while one child is lighting a fire-cracker, all accompanied by the sound of another group of boys playing drums, cymbals, a gong and blowing a trumpet. Two boys are holding up a puppet in the form of a goldfish and a bouquet of lotus flowers. In Chinese, goldfish jinyu 玉魚 are homophonous with the word for gold (jin 金) and jade (yu 玉), and together with lotus and boys they convey the wish liannian youyu 年年有餘 (may you continuously have plenty year after year). The figures and their toys are intricately depicted with great attention to detail. The boys all have finely detailed individual features, their facial expressions are highly animated, some boys are concentrated, some impatient, others joyful. They are dressed in colourful shirts tied with belts, vests fastened at the neck, their hair tied tightly on top of their head. The two compositions are vivacious and realistic, capturing the excited mood of groups of young boys at play. Yingxitu 嬰戲圖 (pictures of boys at play) and baizitu 百子圖(pictures of one hundred boys) are intimately connected with the strong desire for male offspring, who would perform ancestral sacrifices and thus endure the continuation of the family line. Depictions of children in gardens became an established painting genre in the Song dynasty (960-1279), and by the Ming period (1368-1644) boys were depicted engaged in activities that also conveyed auspicious messages that impersonated adult aspirations. Under the Qianlong emperor, depictions of boys at play proliferated on porcelain as he was particularly fond of auspicious and amusing designs. The theme can be found on quite a number of vases of Qianlong date, similarly rendered but on a smaller scale, with boys at play within a garden, today in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Porcelains with Cloisonné Enamel Decoration and Famille Rose Decoration, vol.39, Hong Kong, 1999, cat.nos. 91, 92, 121, 128 and 129. Most other examples of famille rose-decorated vases with figural scenes are decorated with colourful blue, pink, green or yellow enamelled borders. The combination of famille rose medallions against a rich gilt-decorated dark blue ground as seen on the present vase is very unusual, especially on vases of this impressive size. At least three vases of smaller size and different shapes and designs, similarly decorated with famille rose panels on a gilt-decorated dark blue ground are also in the collection of the Palace Museum, see ibid. cat.nos.130, 131 and 133. The Palace Museum collection also includes a small vase with a continuous scene of 'boys at play' between gilt-decorated blue-glazed borders, see ibid., cat.nos.132 (Fig. 1).Vases of this impressive size and decorated in a rich palette of enamels against a gilt-decorated blue-glazed ground are very rare. The Palace Museum collection records one large vase of this design but decorated with flowers and calligraphy, see ibid., cat.no.129 (Fig. 2). The closest example in size and design is a pair of large gilt-decorated blue-ground famille rose double-gourd vases (accession no. RCIN 33.1-2.a) in the Royal Collection, London, possibly presented by the Qianlong emperor to King George III in 1793, illustrated in John Ayers, Chinese and Japanese Works of Art in the Collection of Her Majesty The Queen, London, 2016, nos.685 and 686.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a reduced rate of 5.5% on the hammer price and the prevailing rate on buyer's premium if the item remains in EU. TVA sur les objets importés à un taux réduit de 5.5% sur le prix d'adjudication et un taux en vigueur sur la prime d'achat dans le cas où l'objet reste dans l'Union Européenne.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

JIANG TINGXI (1669–1732)Manuel Impérial des Oiseaux, Niao PuPerroquet aux Joues RougesJIANG TINGXI (1669-1732)Imperial Manual of Birds, Niao PuRed-cheeked ParrotInk and colour on silk, album leaf and calligraphy, framed and under glass, title slip reading 'hong jia lv ying ge, with two seals of the artist reading chen Tingxi and chaochao ran han. 40.5cm x 41cm (16in x 16 1/8in)Footnotes:蔣廷錫（1669-1732）鳥譜 紅頰綠鸚哥 設色绢本 鏡框鈐印：臣廷錫、朝朝染翰題跋：紅頰綠鸚哥。黑睛黃眶。綠瞼黃喙。深綠頂。兩頰至腦後俱鮮紅色。頷下深黑。項背臆腹黃質綠斑間有白毛。膊翅深綠色帶赭黃紋。翅根間以青翠。尾翎甚細。外青裏白。蒼白足黑爪。此種比諸鸚哥爲最小。Provenance:According to family history, acquired in China in the late 19th century, inherited by the father of present owners and thence by descent in the family 來源：據家族記載，此拍品於十九世紀末得自中國，由現藏家之父繼承，後經家族流傳至今Like the previous lot, this album leaf and the accompanying calligraphy are also from the Imperial Manual of Birds (Niao Pu). As indicated in the title slip, the illustration depicts a red-cheeked parrot (Geoffroyus geoffroyi) (hong jia lv ying ge 紅頰綠鸚哥), a small, long-tailed parrot whose natural habitat is in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Like the cockatoo in the previous illustration, the parrot on this leaf is painted with great attention to detail, revealing an in depth study and understanding of the subject captured: while the cheeks and neck of the bird's head are a vibrant shade of red, the crown and the back of the head are a dark green while the throat and neck are bluish-black tone, the breast, abdomen, tail, upper and lower tail-coverts are a pale yellow-green, while the lower back and wings are a darker green, the under wing-coverts are blue. The underside of the tail is a pale yellow, the eyes have pale yellow irises, the upper beak is a bright red tone and the lower beak is grey. Jiang Tingxi, a native of Changshu in southern Jiangsu province, was a scholar-official, who attained the rank of Grand Academician in the Hall of Literary Brilliance under the Kangxi emperor. He was also a skilled painter who was renowned for his flower and bird paintings. Influenced by Yun Shouping (1633-1690), Jiang Tingxi perfected the 'boneless' style of ink washes instead of outlines and worked alongside the Jesuit missionary and painter Giuseppe Castiglione (1688-1766) in the Ruyi Hall of the Forbidden City. His highly realistic painting style shows the Western influence of the natural sciences and scientific observation, and is in stark contrast with the encoded, schematic animals in classical Chinese illustrations. Rendering the plumage of each bird in delicate, fine lines and highly accurate colors, Jiang's images are far more detailed than any earlier printed source, with exception of Emperor Huizong's painting of a five-coloured parakeet, now in the collection of the Museum of Fine Art, Boston, which was also painted in a highly realistic manner after observing a live bird. The sharply observed and realistically rendered details of the birds depicted on the majority of the 360 leaves of the album suggest that all the birds were painted from life. The later copy of the Niao Pu by by Zhang Weibang 張維邦 (ca. 1725-1775) and Yu Sheng 余省 (1692-1767) with its traced images of the original album leaves lacks the realistic character of the subjects included in Jiang Tingxi's album as seen in the copy of the red-cheeked parrot, accession number 故畫003600N000000005 (Fig. 2).It has been argued that the Imperial Manual of Birds was part of the Kangxi Emperor's (r. 1654-1722) grand imperial publication projects to support his own political mandate. Over the course of his reign, Kangxi commissioned two monumental encyclopedias, entitled the Mirror of Origins Based on the Investigation of Things (Gewuzhizhi 格物致知), and the Synthesis of Books and Illustrations Past and Present (Gujin tushu jicheng 古今圖書集成), which were completed and published under his son, the Yongzheng emperor (r. 1722-1735). Both encyclopedias included sections on plant, tree, bird, and insect species that drew upon numerous references to historical texts as well as direct observation. Wang Tubing's text on the cockatoo, written in regular script, mentions that this species originally came from the south in the Tang dynasty. It indicates that exotic birds and other animals from far lands arrived as gifts at the Qing court. His texts in the Imperial Manuel of Birds firmly place each bird within a historical, poetic, and scientific context, some more than others. However, the accompanying texts on both birds also demonstrate a scientific approach as Wang Tubing's inscriptions record scientific facts including detailed measurements, the colorations and other characteristics. Hence, text and illustration are rendered factually and objectively, placing them and the album which they were part of firmly in the context of the other two monumental encyclopedias commissioned by the Kangxi emperor.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

JIANG TINGXI (1669–1732)Manuel Impérial des Oiseaux, Niao Pu Cacatoès à Huppe RoseJIANG TINGXI (1669-1732)An Imperial Manual of Birds, Niao PuSalmon-crested CockatooInk and colour on silk, album leaf and calligraphy, framed and under glass, title slip reading 'ya se ding hua xiao bai yingwu, with two seals of the artist reading chen Tingxi and chaochao ran han. 40.5 x 41cm (16in x 16 1/8in)Footnotes:蔣廷錫（1669-1732）鳥譜 牙色頂花小白鸚鵡 設色绢本 鏡框鈐印：臣廷錫、朝朝染翰題跋：小白鸚鵡又一種。大小毛色相同。惟頂毛作牙紅色。通身裡毛亦帶牙紅。粉白足爪。二種皆小於大者。尾亦齊闊。唐書南蠻傳云。訶陵有二屬國曰曇陵陀洹。貞觀時並遣使入朝獻白鸚鵡。首有十二紅毛。Provenance:According to family history, acquired in China in the late 19th century, inherited by the father of present owners and thence by descent in the family來源：據家族記載，此拍品於十九世紀末得自中國，由現藏家之父繼承，後經家族流傳至今This album leaf and the accompanying textual description, as well as the following lot 62, represent two leaves from the Manual of Birds (niaopu), a comprehensive and important encyclopedia of bird species produced for the eighteenth-century Chinese court. The Manual of Birds was a large-size comprehensive compendium comprising pictorial representations of 360 birds, each image accompanied by a title slip designating the bird illustrated and paired with a textual description written in regular script (kaishu), such as exemplified in this lot and the next lot. The album which disappeared at the end of the Qing dynasty, was notable for its ambitious size, meticulously accurate illustrations, and long texts that combine historical references with rigorous mensuration and details gained from close observation. The album was painted by Jiang Tingxi 蔣廷錫 (1669-1732) for the Kangxi emperor in around 1721/1722. The Qianlong Emperor's catalogue of art in the imperial collection, the Precious Records of the Stone Moat (石渠寶笈, Shiqubaoji), first records the Manual of Birds and lists that a total of 360 birds illustrations were paired with descriptive texts by the scholar Wang Tubing 王圖炳 (1668-1743), a poet and artist who specialised in representations of the natural world. Because of the unusually large format of each leaf and comprehensive nature of the work, it was organised into twelve separate albums each comprising thirty birds, each image carefully numbered in black ink on the back of the mount, corresponding with the album and leaf numbers. As demonstrated on this image of a cockatoo, great attention was given to representing the distinctive physiognomy of each bird and the accurate coloration of its coat of feathers. A text cartouche to the right of the painting reveals the name of the bird, in this case a red or salmon-crested cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis) (yase dinghua xiao bai yingshi 牙色頂花小白鸚鵡), realistically depicted with its textured white coat of feathers and distinctive salmon-coloured crest, prominent black bill and sturdy feet. The cockatoo is perched on a flowering branch, precariously leaning forward while looking directly at and engaging the viewer with a lively black eye, the bill ever so slightly open. During the Tang dynasty, exotic parakeets, lories, and cockatoos arrived at the Chinese court as tributes and gifts, and became popular at court where they were kept in aviaries and gardens.In 1751, a copy of the Niao Pu was commissioned by the Qianlong emperor. Executed by Zhang Weibang 張維邦 (ca. 1725-1775) and Yu Sheng 余省 (1692-1767), it is a direct or close copy or facsimile (摹本, moben) of the original album and today is in the collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei. The corresponding illustration of the salmon-crested cockatoo can be found in album two, accession number 故畫003600N000000017 (Fig. 1).Very few leaves from the Niao Pu have come to the market. More recently, five leaves depicting various birds including a phoenix, the first leaf of the album bearing seven Imperial seals of the Qianlong emperor, was sold in Sotheby's Hong Kong, 6 April 2023, lot 2575.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A Chinese Yixing teapot and cover, of bombé form decorated with calligraphy, four character seal mark, together with a pair of Japanese Meiji period Tokoname pottery vases, of baluster form, decorated in low relief with dragons, 15.5cm high. (3)

Four 20thC Chinese porcelain wine cups, decorated with lotus flowers and calligraphy, on vari-coloured enamel grounds, red six character seal mark, 6cm high, together with five celadon porcelain rice bowls, 13cm wide. (AF)

A Chinese jade archers ring with carved calligraphy detail. Approx. 3.5cm diameter x 3cm wide.

A late 19th or early 20th century Chinese Nanking crackle glaze vase painted with warriors, some on horseback, in polychrome enamels between brown iron dust banding, late Qing period, 30 cm high to/w various 20th century Chinese ceramics including a famille rose vase painted with floral designs and twelve female musicians, calligraphy inscription to the reverse and Qianlong mark, 32 cm high, a yellow ground bowl, cover and stand painted with butterflies and flowers, Qianlong mark, various 'Mun Shou' turquoise ground items including teapot, plates, bowls, ginger jar etc, three Shiwan 'Mudmen' figure groups, graduating famille rose leaf shaped plates etc (box)

Two 19th century Chinese circular fan paintings, signed Cheng Heng Ke (1876-1923) and Zheng Ye (mounted as one handscroll) ink and colour on silk with brocade border c/w wooden box, image sizes 25 cm diameter to/w a Rooster landscape painting scroll and calligraphy scroll (3)

A BOX OF ASSORTED PENS AND PENCILS, two unopened boxed 'Parker' ball point pens, a pair of boxed 'Conway Stewart' ball point pen, three 'Conway Stewart' ball point pens, a boxed 'Parker' pen, a selection of propelling pencils, 'Faber Castell' colouring pencils, together with a selection of fountain pens, ball point pens, and calligraphy equipment

A 19th century Persian painting of figures and animals with calligraphy, framed and glazed. 15 x 24 cm.

A late 19th century lacquered calligraphy box, formerly the property of the English artist and cartoonist Charles Wirgman (1832-1891). 24 x 26.5 cm.Note: The artist Charles Wirgman forged an Illustrated London News career recording events in both China and Japan before settling permanently in Japan in 1861. He founded and developed Japan Punch, issues of which have now become highly-prized. He taught western drawing techniques to the Japanese - and the National Museum of Japan in Tokyo holds some of his work, as does the British Museum and others. His brother Theodore Blake Wirgman was also a notable painter and portraitist. Provenance: by descent through the family.

A Chinese, or other Asian, philosophical calligraphy text, framed and glazed with overall dimensions of 32 x 29 cm; together with an Asian picture of a standing figure, holding a string of beads, framed and glazed with overall dimensions of 39 x 30 cm [2]

LEE UFAN (N. 1936)Dialogue 2008 signé et daté 08 sur la tranche gauche ; signé, titré et daté 2008 au revers huile et pigments minéraux sur toile signed and dated 08 on the left turnover edge; signed, titled and dated 2008 on the reverse oil and mineral pigments on canvas 183 x 227.5 cm. 72 1/16 x 89 9/16 in.Footnotes:ProvenanceGalerie Kamel Mennour, Paris Collection particulière, ParisVente : Versailles Enchères, Versailles, Tableaux Abstraits et Contemporains, Sculptures, 17 décembre 2017, lot 10 Acquis lors de cette vente par le propriétaire actuelD'une beauté cristalline, il émane de cette œuvre l'ampleur et le silence qu'impose tout chef d'œuvre. D'un dénuement monastique, cette toile de grâce s'est élégamment parée et c'est avec lenteur que l'on dépose sur elle son regard, comme un voile s'allongerait sur le temps.S'il privilégie l'immobilité dans ses sculptures, Lee Ufan, dans ses peintures, laisse le geste apparent, lui conférant ce qu'il faut de présence discrète. Le geste, avec délicatesse, s'abandonne à la toile ; pensée que l'artiste hérita de Merleau-Ponty qui prône l'essence nécessaire de la corporéité en art. De ses lectures philosophiques, l'artiste entretient une proximité particulière avec l'Infini de Spinoza, la Chose de Kant, l'Etre d'Heidegger, Topos de Kitaro Nishida. Son art est ainsi fait, de correspondances et d'infini...Si Lee Ufan étudia la poésie, la peinture, la calligraphie en Corée, c'est au Japon, où il déménage en 1956, que s'ancre son art. L'artiste remporte en 1968 le concours de la critique avec son essai Des objets inanimés à l'existence vivante et devient le théoricien du Mono-ha, qui met en exergue la relation topologique entre le lieu et l'objet, de même que l'équilibre de la rencontre avec celui qui regarde l'œuvre.L'artiste participe en 1971 à la biennale de Paris, qui augurera une consécration internationale (biennale de Sydney en 1976, Documenta de Kassel l'année d'après, etc.) ce que corroborent toutes les rétrospectives qui lui seront consacrées : Fondation Mudina (Milan) en 1994, Musée National d'Art Contemporain de Séoul (1994), musée de Leverkusen (1995), etc., de même que la création de musées à son nom (musée Lee Ufan à Naoshima, créé en 2010, l'espace Lee Ufan au Busan Museum of Art, ouvert en 2015, et, plus récemment, le centre d'exposition Lee Ufan dans l'hôtel Vernon à Arles inauguré au printemps 2022.). Son Œuvre, quelque soit le lieu qui l'abrite, se meut en une expérience sensible. Au titre tautologique, Dialogue, de 2008, est la quintessence de son art, empreint d'heureux antagonismes, dans le sens aristotélicien du terme. Le vide apparent et le plein de la touche opalescente, à peine caressée, semblent faire écho à l'abstraction et la matérialité, dans un accouplement à l'indicible harmonie.Nimbé d'une aura singulière, son Œuvre séduit le château de Versailles, qui, pour sa dixième exposition d'art contemporain en 2017, choisit cet artiste qui avait déjà envahi ses jardins en 2014, après qu'il eut exposé dans de prestigieux lieux comme le Guggenheim Museum (New York), la Tate Modern (Londres), le Kunstmuseum (Bonn), le Musée d'Art de Yokoama.Dans une intervention aussi minime que d'une bouleversante intensité, Lee Ufan appose son geste créateur avec le recueillement qui confère à son art son extrême sensibilité. Car cette œuvre, auprès de laquelle semble se reposer la lumière, s'est éprise du souffle de l'invisible et de l'éternité. Le peintre a fait ici du vide sa profession de foi : l'acceptation de la disparition ne permet-elle pas de comprendre le temps ? Of crystalline beauty, the scope and silence this work emanates are the hallmarks of any masterpiece. Of monastic sobriety, grace elegantly adorns this canvas; hence it is with slowness that we gaze upon it, as if a veil were stretched over time.While he favours immobility in his sculptures, in his paintings Lee Ufan leaves the gesture apparent, with just the right amount of subtle presence. The gesture, with delicacy, abandons itself to the canvas; a thought that the artist inherited from Merleau-Ponty, who advocated the necessary essence of physicality in art. From his philosophical readings, the artist maintains a particular closeness to Spinoza's Infinity, Kant's Thing, Heidegger's Being, and Kitaro Nishida's Topos. His art is thus made up of correspondences and infinity...Lee Ufan studied poetry, painting and calligraphy in Korea, but it was in Japan, where he moved in 1956, that his art took root. In 1968, the artist won the critics' competition with his essay From Inanimate Objects to the Existence of Life, and became the theoretician of Mono-ha, which emphasises the topological relationship between place and object, and the tension resulting from the encounter with the viewer.In 1971, the artist took part in the Paris Biennial, which heralded his international consecration (Sydney Biennial in 1976, Documenta in Kassel the following year, among others), as corroborated by all the retrospectives devoted to him: the Mudina Foundation (Milan) in 1994, the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Seoul (1994), the Leverkusen Museum (1995), and so on, as well as the creation of museums in his name (the Lee Ufan Museum in Naoshima, created in 2010, the Space Lee Ufan at the Busan Museum of Art, opened in 2015, and, more recently, the Fondation Lee Ufan at the Hotel Vernon in Arles, inaugurated in spring 2022). Whatever the location, contemplating his Oeuvre is invariably a sensatory experience. With its tautological title, Dialogue, from 2008, is the quintessence of his art, imbued with happy antagonisms, in the Aristotelian sense of the term. The apparent emptiness and yet fullness of the opalescent, barely caressed brushstrokes seem to echo abstraction and materiality, in a coupling of unspeakable harmony.Enveloped in a singular aura, his Oeuvre appealed to the Château de Versailles, which, for its tenth contemporary art exhibition in 2017, chose the artist who had already embraced its gardens in 2014, after having exhibited in such prestigious venues as the Guggenheim Museum (New York), the Tate Modern (London), the Kunstmuseum (Bonn) and the Yokoama Art Museum.In an intervention, at once minimalist and overwhelmingly intense, Lee Ufan applies his creative touch with such reverence it instills his art with a supreme sensitivity. Indeed this piece, along which light appears to settle, is enthralled by invisible exhalations and eternity. Here, the painter has turned emptiness into his profession of faith: for is it not true that to accept disappearance enables us to understand time.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A Turkish silk Hereke rug, signed, second quarter 20th century, the mihrab field with bird, vase and floral motifs, on a beige and red ground, contained by floral and Arabic calligraphy border, 152cm x 99cmCondition Report: all fringe seems to be intact, minor fraying to edges, smells of cigarettes, no visible damage or repairs, overall very good condition 

A Turkish silk Hereke rug, second quarter 20th century, the mihrab field with floral motifs on a blue and beige ground, with some gold wire thread, contained by floral and Arabic calligraphy border, 152cm x 99cmCondition Report: all fringe seems to be intact, smells of cigarettes, no visible damage or repairs, overall very good condition