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Click here to subscribeA pair of Chinese celadon-glazed alms bowlsRepublic period, apocryphal Qianlong seal marksEach with a central band of impressed archaistic angular scroll and taotie between slip-decorated flat bosses to the rim and foot, the bi-shaped base enclosing a six-character seal mark in underglaze blue.Each 10cm wide (2).民國 青釉鉢一對，青花篆書「大清乾隆年製」寄託款Condition Report: Minor surface wear and firing imperfections otherwise generally good.
A large and impressive Chinese hongmu tall narrow tableQing dynasty, 19th centuryThe rectangular top with recessed central panel above carved reticulated scroll apron carved on all sides and raised on cylindrical supports united by an undertier above stepped stretchers.105cm high x 189cm x 38.5cm清十九世紀 紅木鏤雕花卉卷草紋長桌
A pair of 20th Century Chinese black lacquered occasional tables, painted with water lilies on square legs to scroll feet, 50.5 cm wide x 50.5 cm deep x 46 cm high and a graduated set of three Chinese lacquered and simulated mother of pearl decorated hexagonal bins, the largest 37 cm diameter x 30 cm high
A LARGE SAMSON PORCELAIN FISH BOWL ON A CHINESE MARBLE-INSET HARDWOOD STAND the fishbowl, late 19th Century, decorated in the Chinese taste with flowers and birds in a Famille Verte palette, the interior with fish and plant life, applied with red lion-mask handles; the Chinese stand, late 19th Century, with a beaded edge, raised on four mask-carved scroll-form legs terminating in ball and claw feet. (2) 83.5cm high overall, 61.5cm diameter overall
A CHINESE MARBLE-INSET ROSEWOOD PLANTSTAND, LATE 19TH CENTURY the pentagonal top with key-carved edge, over a pierced and fret-carved apron with prunus blossom, raised on five scroll-form legs, joined by an openwork circular shelf stretcher. 80cm highIn generally very good condition and of good quality.
A CHINESE DARK HUANGHUALI TABLE STAND modelled in the form of a miniature kang table with scroll end supports, the frieze centred by a reticulated heart-shaped device flanked by carved scroll beading, the top with inset floating panel, late 19th/ early 20th Century. 29.5cm wideIn generally good condition and of good colour.
A CHINESE HONGMU ALTAR TABLE, EARLY 20TH CENTURY the rectangular top with an inset 'floating' panel over a carved and pierced apron of scroll and bead design raised on indented side rectangular-section supports joined with open 'fish-belly' panels. 106cm high, 175.5cm long, 42cm deepIn generally very good condition.
Chinese hardwood low table, Ming style, open scroll apron, moulded legs, 42 x 74cm, height 28cm.Condition report:Top is heavily scratched, overall finish is poor. Some splitting surrounding the top panel. The frieze has multiple old glued and nailed/ pinned repairs and evident splits. One leg split through and repaired.
Seven Chinese prints and paintings18th century - 20th centuryComprising of an pith paper painting depicting a gentleman within Chinese garden, a Chinese woodblock print depicting family gathering and two other etchings depicting Chinese subjects, an ink and colour on silk painting after Wang Hui, and a Chinese painting of a couple within lotus pond by Liao Jinfeng mounted on a hand scroll, together with a water colour.17.7cm x 12.8 cm - 58cm x 45.5 cm. (7)十八- 二十世紀 繪畫及版畫七幅
A Chinese embroidery and a Japanese embroidery19th/20th centuryComprising a light coral ground ground embroidery of a hundred boys at play with a Buddhist lion dog, and a Japanese embroidery of birds and chrysanthemum mounted as hanging scroll.64 x 32cm and 130 x 45cm. (2)中國及日本十九-二十世紀 綠地百子紋刺繡及金地花鳥刺繡
Two Chinese archaic jade pendant plaquesWestern Zhou dynastyEach in a stylised dragon shape, with circular drilled hole to the mouth, incised with c-scroll motifs.Each 7.8cm long (2).西周 玉牌两件Condition Report: Expected surface wear and encrustations, a couple of very tiny nibbles to edges, otherwise generally good.
Five small Chinese bronzesLate Qing dynasty/Republic period, one with apocryphal Shisou mark, one with apocryphal Xuande markComprising two scroll weights with wood stands, an archaistic gu vase, a small tripod incense burner with Xuande six-character mark to base, and a silver-inlaid archaistic tripod incense burner with lines, the base with inlaid two-character mark.The largest 14cm wide, the smallest 5cm long (5).晚清/民國 銅爐五件，「石叟」、「大明宣德年製」寄托款Condition Report: Shisou-marked censer (with liner): 554g. Without liner: 422g. Liner very possibly only associated. Nibbling to edges, some scattered scratches and surface wear. Some pitting and areas of rough casting.Small censer: approx. 97g. Light bruising around the body, some scratching and surface wear.Archaistic gu: 114g approx. Scattered denting to edges, areas of rough casting and surface wear.Lion scroll weight: approx. 123g. Elephant 161g. Expected surface wear and casting imperfections
A Chinese gilt bronze 'winged mythical beast' scroll weightQing dynasty, 18th/19th centuryModelled as a recumbent, horned, winged mythical beast.6.8cm wide.The Property of a Lady. Purchased in Hong Kong throughout the 1980s and 1990s. (Lots 355 - 474)清十八/十九世紀 銅鎏金瑞獸鎮紙女士藏品。二十世紀八十至九十年代間購置於香港。（拍品 355 - 474）Condition Report: Weight: 198g.The edge of the rear wing possibly slightly nibbled off. General expected wear and rubbing off of gilt, some areas of pitting and casting imperfections.
A magnificent Chinese carved boxwood 'landscape' scroll pot, hua tongQing dynasty, 18th centuryLavishly carved in shallow relief with a continuous watery landscape scene depicting trees and rocky mountains amidst scrolling clouds, all below a band of ruyi clouds to the rim and eight chilong dragons further incised to the top edge of the rim.28cm diameter, 22cm high. 清十八世紀 黃楊木雕山水圖紋畫筒Condition Report: General areas of vertical age cracking throughout, with a number of infilled cracks, and three large splits to the base. The base missing central plug. The interior with traces of green stain. Scattered nibbles to edges. One tiny circular hole just beneath the rim.
A GROUP OF 19TH AND EARLY 20TH CENTURY CHINESE CANTON FAMILLE ROSE PORCELAIN, various designs but with common theme of panels of figures and flora and fauna within green scroll frames, comprising a bullet shaped teapot with cover, height 10cm, three cylindrical teapots with covers, tallest 14.5cm and smallest 11cm, three coffee cans in two sizes, two tea cups, one saucer, four tea plates, a small circular rice bowl / cover and six various plates, diameter of largest 24.7cm (23) (Condition Report: the bullet shaped teapot is in good condition, smallest cylindrical teapot has a glued break to the base of the spout, tiny nibbles to tip of spout, lacks handle, middle size teapot has a completely broken spout, the rim is chipped with a crack extending from it, cover has riveted repairs and chips, largest teapot has a broken spout, rim has riveted repairs and losses, largest coffee can is cracked, one of the smaller ones has restoration to the rim, both saucers have chipped rims, one tea cup is cracked, the other has a crack in the handle, four tea plates, rice bowl / cover in good condition, largest plate in good condition, one plate has extensive rim chips, another has extensive damage with glued repairs and losses, a near pair of plates, one with a crack and one with a chip to the underside and another similar in good condition)
A Chinese hanging scroll,19th century, painted with the life of fishermen and their families on boats on a river, inscribed with the signature and artist's seal of Feng Ji, ink and colour on paper,33 x 58cmProvenance: Purchased from the Beijing Antique Store in the early 1980s.冯箕款 渔乐图 设色纸本 立轴铃印：栖霞Condition ReportTears with old repairs. Some staining and foxing marks in various locations.
A Chinese hanging scroll,19th-20th century, in the style of Jiao Bingzhen, painted with literati seated under a pine tree in a garden, surrounded by ladies and attendants, with deities in the clouds above, inscribed with two artist's seals, ink and colour on paper,68 x 16cmProvenance: Purchased from the Beijing Antique Store in the early 1980s.焦秉贞款 人物故事图 设色纸本 立轴款识：臣焦秉贞恭绘铃印：臣焦印、秉贞Condition ReportCockling and creasing in various locations. Small holes and tears with old repairs. Foxing and staining marks throughout.
A Chinese hanging scroll,19th-20th century, of a lady seated by a window with a scroll in her hand, inscribed with the signature of Zheng Xingqiao, ink and colour on paper,47.5 x 12cmProvenance: Purchased in Beijing in the early 1980s.郑星峤款 仕女图 设色纸本 立轴Condition ReportChips to both roller ends, one of them later replaced.Dirt marks to mounting. Cockling and creasing throughout.Foxing and staining marks in various locations, small tears with old repairs.
A Chinese hanging scroll,19th-20th century, painted with a literatus with a bamboo walking stick, followed by an attendant, inscribed, 51 x 13.3cmProvenance: Purchased in Beijing in the early 1980s.十九至二十世纪 高士图 设色纸本 立轴Condition ReportMounting tired with tears and staining. Cockling, creasing, foxing and staining marks throughout.
A Chinese hanging scroll,20th century, painted with a lady seated under a tree in the moonlight, inscribed with the signature and three artist's seals of Zhou Lianxia (1908-2000), dated year of Bingyin, ink and colour on silk,34 x 40.5cmProvenance: Purchased in Beijing in the early 1980s.周練霞款 仕女图 设色绢本 立轴Condition ReportCockling, creasing, foxing and staining marks throughout.Silk to the top stretched.
A Chinese hanging scroll,20th century, painted with a literatus seated on a rock under a tree, accompanied by a lady musician, inscribed with the signature and artist's seals of Qian Yihai, dated year of Guiwei, ink and colour on paper,38.2 x 10.2cmProvenance: Purchased in Beijing in the early 1980s.二十世纪 钱一海款 高士图 设色纸本 立轴Condition ReportCockling, creasing, foxing and staining marks throughout.Tear to the upper left section with old repair.
A Chinese stoneware box and cover,Song-Yuan dynasty, of circular form moulded with peony enclosed by a scroll border, covered with a beige glaze,14.5cm diameter, and a celadon box and cover,Ming dynasty (1368-1644), the domed cover decorated with florets, 14.3cm diameter (4)宋至元 白釉花卉纹盖盒 及 明 青釉盖盒 一组两件Condition ReportWhite box - chips to base, cover restored.Celadon box - cover chipped, cracked and restored. Box chipped.
A Chinese hanging scroll,20th century, painted with figures walking in a mountainous landscape, with a dedication and signature of Li Keran (1907-1989) with two artist's seals, ink and colour on paper,49.3 x 45cmCondition ReportMounting with stains. Cockling and creases throughout. Some minor foxing and dirt marks.
A Chinese hanging scroll,19th-20th century, embroidered with a bird perched on the branch of a blossoming prunus tree above a peony,84 x 34cmProvenance: The Collection of Mr Edmund Bruce Ball (1873-1944), and thence by descent.十九至二十世纪 刺绣花鸟图 立轴Condition ReportSplits to edges of mounting.Staining, foxing and cockling throughout.Colours faded.
A GOOD IVORY NETSUKE OF ROSEI'S DREAMUnsignedJapan, early 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868)Rosei is depicted as a reclining figure resting on his side, one hand supporting the head, the other wrapped around the handle of the uchiwa, wearing a floral scroll and karakusa detailed robe cinched at the waist with a hyotan to the back. The face lost in a daydream with a gentle smile across the face. Excellent himotoshi through the underside, the larger oval hole generously excavated.LENGTH 7.4 cmCondition: Very good condition with natural age cracks and a few natural imperfections.In the original 8th century Chinese tale, Rosei (Lu Sheng) leaves his village in search of an illustrious career in the civil service. This tale inspired the 15th Century Japanese Noh play 'Kantan,' and was modified to reflect the Buddhist philosophy of Noh Theatre's elite warrior audience. In the Noh drama, Rosei falls asleep at an inn while waiting for his meal and dreams that he is visited by a grand entourage that invites him to become the emperor. When the innkeeper awakens him, Rosei immediately realizes that his fifty-year reign as emperor was only a vain dream. Rosei's awakening is comparable to a spiritual awakening or enlightenment that recognizes the transience of human life and the vanity of human ambition. Rosei abandons his dream of self-advancement and returns to his village.Trade Certificate: The trade certificate for the sale of this lot within the EU has been granted (permit number FR2207512942-K). This item contains ivory, rhinoceros horn, tortoise shell, and/or some types of tropical wood and is subject to CITES when exporting outside the EU. It is typically not possible to export such items outside of the EU, including to the UK. Therefore, after this item has the necessary trade certificate, it can only be shipped within the EU or picked up in our gallery in person.
A FINE RITSUO-STYLE STITCHED CHERRY-BARK AND CERAMIC-INLAID THREE-CASE LACQUER INRO WITH A HAWK AND SPARROWUnsigned Japan, 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868)Of oval section, formed from clear-lacquered cherry-bark, stitched at both edges. One side with a superbly inlaid ceramic hawk, confidently looking for its prey, perched on craggy rocks lacquered in thick takamaki-e with highlights of aogai. The fleeing sparrow in red takamaki-e with gold details and the leaves lacquered in gold hiramaki-e. Unsigned, however in the style of the famous lacquerer and ceramicist Ogawa Haritsu (Ritsuo, 1663-1747).HEIGHT 8.3 cm, LENGTH 5.2 cm Condition: Very good condition with minor wear to lacquer and typical losses to outer layer of the cherry bark. Presenting beautifully. Provenance: Ex-collection Claudio Perino, a collector with a keen interest in Japanese, Chinese and Far Eastern cultures. His collection consists of over 2000 works of art, partly loaned to the Museum of Oriental Arts (MAO) in Turin, Italy and to the Museo delle Culture (MUSEC) in Lugano, Switzerland. An exhibition of Kakemono scroll paintings was on view in the MUSEC until end of April 2021. Japanese mountain cherry, Yamazakura, is a wild species which has a strong vitality and bark that regenerates after being carefully stripped. The collected bark is dried for more than three years before it is whittled and polished by hand, cut to the appropriate shape, and glued to the surface of a wooden base using nikawa animal glue. Other techniques entail carving pre-assembled layers of cherry bark into small shapes and polishing them for jewelry and other uses. Ogawa Haritsu (formerly often referred to outside Japan by his alternative name of Ritsuo) was among the first Japanese lacquer artists to establish an independent reputation outside of the hereditary craft dynasties of Kyoto, Edo, and Kanazawa. Following an early career as a haiku poet, he is thought to have first turned his attention to lacquer design in middle age and soon attracted a wide following thanks to his novel choice of subject matter and pioneering and imaginative use of unusual materials; at some point after 1710 he was hired by Tsugaru Nobuhisa (1669-1747), lord of a domain in northern Japan, for whom he worked until 1731.
INK SCROLL 'HERMIT AND LANDSCAPE' PAINTING SIGNED SHEN ZHENSAN 沈振三 高士山水圖 紙本設色 立軸款識: 東常書畫十年成，百煉千錘作見▢，宋畫備書三數月，何能脫俗稱明傳。(?) 戊寅冬月寫於濠江，以爲滿櫻仁兄先生雅正，沈振三作鈐印: 沈振三印、自然山人 ink and colour on paper, inscribed with a poem upper right, dated to the cyclical Wu Yin year, signed and two seals of the artist Dimensions:91cm x 47cm Provenance:Provenance: Private Scottish collection, Glasgow; From the collection of Norman Lockhart Smith (1887-1968), thence by family descent.Norman Lockhart Smith was in the Hong Kong Civil Service from 1910 to 1941 and became Colonial Secretary in 1936. He served as Acting Governor at various times, the longest being between April and November 1937. On his retirement in November 1941, Norman Lockhart Smith left Hong Kong with his family on 7th December 1941.Norman Lockhart Smith continued to be the patron of Chinese culture and arts. He published a compilation of Chinese poetry, The Penguin Book of Chinese Verse, in 1962 in collaboration with a colleague, Sir Robert Kotewall, from their time in Hong Kong.The current owner fondly remembers these pictures hanging in their house in Glasgow in the 1950s and subsequently inherited in the 1980s.
INK SCROLL 'GREAT WALL OF CHINA' PAINTING LI WEISEN (ACTIVE 1940S-1960s), DATED TO 1939AD 1939年 李蔚森（活躍於1940-1960） 長城圖 紙本設色 立軸款識: 萬里長城萬里長，寫未終時心已傷，大好河山遭寇踐，早回失地逐殘陽。民國廿八年抗戰二周年紀念日，李蔚森於▢江鈐印: 蔚森之印、▢ ink and colour on paper, inscribed with a poem upper left, dated to the 28th year of the Republic Period, corresponding to 1939AD, on the memorial day of the second year of the Second Sino-Japanese War, signed and two seals of the artist Dimensions:132.5cm x 41cm Provenance:Provenance: Private Scottish collection, Glasgow; From the collection of Norman Lockhart Smith (1887-1968), thence by family descent.Norman Lockhart Smith was in the Hong Kong Civil Service from 1910 to 1941 and became Colonial Secretary in 1936. He served as Acting Governor at various times, the longest being between April and November 1937. On his retirement in November 1941, Norman Lockhart Smith left Hong Kong with his family on 7th December 1941.Norman Lockhart Smith continued to be the patron of Chinese culture and arts. He published a compilation of Chinese poetry, The Penguin Book of Chinese Verse, in 1962 in collaboration with a colleague, Sir Robert Kotewall, from their time in Hong Kong.The current owner fondly remembers these pictures hanging in their house in Glasgow in the 1950s and subsequently inherited in the 1980s. Note: Note: According to limited records, Li Weisen, style name Qing Lin, was active from the 1940s to 1960s. The Sing Tao Daily reported his Solo Exhibition on 21 March 1941, listed in the Hong Kong Art Archive. And his works were exhibited in the Hong Kong Chinese Art Club on 3-6 January 1963 at the Hong Kong City Hall.
AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE WHITE AND RUSSET JADE TIGER SCROLL-WEIGHTTang Dynasty or earlierThe large pebble finely carved as a tightly coiled tiger with large bulbous eyes above jaws agape revealing fangs, the body with finely incised stripes and terminating with two curled tails, the paws tucked neatly beneath the body, the stone of pale white tone with russet-brown speckles. 6.5cm (2 1/2in) wide. Footnotes:唐或更早 玉虎紙鎮Provenance: a Japanese private collection, by reputeR.H.Ellsworth (1929-2014), New York (noted in a Spink and Son Ltd. Valuation, dated 12 January 1968)Bluett and Sons Ltd., LondonA British private collection, and thence by descentPublished and Illustrated: Bluett and Sons Ltd., Oriental Art II, London, 1991, no.9 (dated as Western Han dynasty)J.Rawson, 'Strange Creatures' in Oriental Art, vol.XLIV, 1998, pp.44-47, fig.5 (dated as Western Han dynasty)J.Rawson, 'The Eternal Palaces of the Western Han: A New View of the Universe' in Artibus Asiae, vol.LIX, 1999, Zurich, pp.5-55, fig.32 (dated as Western Han dynasty)On Loan: The British Museum, London, from c.1998來源：日本私人收藏（據傳）R.H.Ellsworth (1929-2014)，紐約（由Spink and Son Ltd.提供的一份日期為1968年1月12日的評估報告中提及）倫敦古董商Bluett and Sons Ltd.蘇格蘭私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今著錄：Bluett and Sons，《Oriental Art II》，倫敦，1991年，編號9（斷代為西漢）J.Rawson， 《Strange Creatures》，《Oriental Art》，第44期，1998年，第44-47頁，插圖5（斷代為西漢）J.Rawson，《The Eternal Palaces of the Western Han: A New View of the Universe》，《亞洲藝術》，第59期，1999年，蘇黎世，第5-55頁，圖版32（斷代為西漢）借展：大英博物館，倫敦，約1998年J.Rawson notes regarding the present jade tiger, that jade carvings such as the present lot, 'were probably made in small sets, like the very fine group from near the tomb of Yuan Di (reigned 48-33 BC) in Shaanxi.'; see J.Rawson, 'The Eternal Palaces of the Western Han: A New View of the Universe' in Artibus Asiae, vol.LIX, 1999, Zurich, p.52. In the Bluett's 1991 catalogue, also showing the present lot, it was noted that this carving shared the characteristics of other Han dynasty carvings in being carved in the round from a pebble of whitish tone with a surface that in places is pitted with brown specks of iron rust tone. It was also noted that cup shaped ears and finely carved claws are also found on these jades. A further comparison was made between the incised tiger stripes on the jade carving and those found on bronze animals inlaid with silver or gold of the Warring States period/Han dynasty; see Oriental Art II, 1991, no.9. For related jade carvings of tiger, Han dynasty, see J.C.Y.Watt, Chinese Jades from Han to Ch'ing, New York, 1980, p.40, no.9; and another illustrated in Chinese Jade Animals, Hong Kong, 1996, pp.80-81, no.46.The present carving of the tiger is exquisitely lively and dynamic, through the jaws open to reveal the menacing teeth, the long thick coiled striped tail emerging from the powerful back haunches, the naturalistic finely curved spine, and the exquisite detail on the underside of the clawed back foot touching on one of the front paws. This dynamism is indicative of an early dating. However, whilst a Western Han dating is possible, it is also possible that this piece is an early revival harking back to the Han style. The tiger has long been one of the oldest symbols for protection in China and is considered as one of the most powerful beasts for warding off evil. The tiger motif inspires both awe and admiration and also embodies the spirit and drive for success. According to Handai jiuyi (The Old Rites of the Han Dynasty), jade seals with a tiger-shaped knob were made for the use of the emperor and empress, indicating the importance of the tiger.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A PAIR OF BLUE AND WHITE 'LOTUS' SAUCER-DISHESGuangxu six-character marks and of the periodEach painted in the centre with a medallion enclosing three lotus flower heads borne on leafy vines, the well decorated with a border of lotus beneath a slightly everted rim, the exterior with a further lotus scroll band, the base bearing a six-character mark in underglaze blue. Each, 15.7cm (6 1/4in) diam. (2).Footnotes:清光緒 青花纏枝蓮花紋盤一對青花「大清光緒年制」楷書款Provenance: a European private collection來源：歐洲私人收藏See a very similar blue and white dish with lotus design, Guangxu mark and of the period, illustrated by Xu Huping, in Treasures in the Royalty: The Official Kiln Porcelain of the Chinese Qing Dynasty, Shanghai, 2003, p.463. Compare also with a similar pair of blue and white 'lotus' dishes, Guangxu six-character marks and of the period, which was sold at Bonhams London, 10 May 2021, lot 9.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 PALE-GREEN JADE 'FIVE BATS' SCROLL-WEIGHT18th century The flattened irregular oval disc crisply carved as five auspicious bats (wufu), one side with three, their heads together at the centre and their wings outspread, the other side with two more attractively using remaining traces of the russet-brown skin on the top surface. 9.5cm (3 3/4in) wide. Footnotes:十八世紀 青玉雕五蝠紋紙鎮Provenance: Spink and Son Ltd., London, 21 February 2000A British private collection, and thence by descent來源：倫敦古董商Spink and Son Ltd.，2000年2月21日英國私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今The five bats (wufu 五蝠) is a pun for 'Five Blessings' (wufu 五福) which includes longevity, wealth, health, love and peaceful death'. A related jade bat group is illustrated by R.Y.Lefebvre d'Argencé, Chinese Jades in the Avery Brundage Collection, San Francisco, 1977, pl.XLVIII.See a related white jade 'five bats' brushrest, 18th century, which was sold at Sotheby's London, 10 May 2017, lot 94.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
A VERY RARE FAMILLE VERTE MODEL OF FOREIGNERS ABOARD A SHIPKangxiBrightly glazed in red, green, aubergine and straw all over the visible areas, elaborately modelled as a junk with an aggressive fish-shaped prow, two folding Lateen masts and a flag flying from a third, a compartment with pierced windows at the stern, both sides with the muzzles of six cannons, the desk filled with four European figures wearing frock coats and wide rimmed black hats, one manning the tiller, two others standing and a fourth figure seated cross-legged. 29cm (11 1/2in) wide.Footnotes:清康熙 素三彩瓷塑帆船Provenance: an American private collection Ralph M. Chait Galleries, New York, 10 May 2016A European private collection來源：美國私人收藏Ralph M. Chait Galleries，紐約，2016年5月10日歐洲私人收藏Exceptionally detailed models of Chinese ships in enamels on biscuit are rare, and more so when including representations of Europeans and details such as cannons and partially folded sails as superbly detailed on the present lot. This model of a junk is described in a 1779 inventory on Chinese porcelain in the collection of Augustus the Strong in Dresden; see a related three-glazed model of a junk, Kangxi, illustrated by E.Ströber, Maladie de Porcelaine. East Asian Porcelain in the Collection of Augustus the Strong, Berlin, 2002, p.57.The depiction of foreigners on a boat reflects not only a growing fascination in 18th century China towards the West but the Kangxi Emperor's policy of open trade from 1684, after his consolidation of power against pirates and Ming loyalists along the coast. In dealing with the issue of overseas trade (which previous Chinese governments sometimes banned), the Kangxi Emperor supported the pursuit of profit and like many European monarchs of the day, he believed that trade — including overseas trade — benefited both state and society. On the basis of this view, in 1684, the Kangxi Emperor invited foreign merchants to bring their goods to China's ports and encouraged Chinese merchants to set out from those ports for destinations in foreign lands. More important, over the subsequent thirty years, he persisted in this open-door policy, blocking every attempt to reinstate the maritime trade ban. This re-opening of trade with the West in the Kangxi reign led to interest in foreigners: their clothes, customs and belongings, and is reflected in a number of the arts of the period. Scrolls depicting tribute bearers from foreign lands were commissioned by the Court, in which figures from various countries were shown in their different costumes. On one such hand-scroll in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, many of the figures are described as being from the West and the attributes of each couple are discussed in both Chinese and Manchu; see Splendors of a Flourishing Age, Macau, 1999, no.42. See a similar famille verte model of a ship with Dutchmen, Kangxi, illustrated by A.du Boulay, Christie's Pictorial History of Chinese Ceramics, Oxford, 1984, p.289, no.10 (which sold at Christie's London, 13 July 1959). Foreigners can also be seen in blanc de-Chine wares; see for example P.J.Donnelly, Blanc de Chine, London, 1969, pl.117, and a blanc-de-Chine boat with foreigners, in ibid, pl.118. See also a similar famille verte boat, but without figures, Kangxi, illustrated by W.R.Sargent, The Copeland Collection: Chinese and Japanese Ceramic Figures, Salem, 1991, pp.76-77, no.29.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 WHITE-GLAZED 'CHILONG' EWER AND COVERKangxiCrisply potted of cylindrical form and applied around the straight walls of the the tall slender body with a long coiling chilong forming the spout, and another facing downwards as the looped handle, a raised rib around the body of the vessel, the cover with a third smaller chilong with arched back forming the handle, all covered in a minutely-crackled ivory-white glaze. 17cm (6 3/4in) high. (2).Footnotes:清康熙 白釉貼塑螭龍紋壺帶蓋Provenance: Warren Earle Cox (d.1977), New YorkRalph M. Chait Galleries, New York, 12 November 2007A European Private Collection來源： Warren Earle Cox (去世於1977年)，紐約Ralph M. Chait Galleries，紐約，2007年11月12日歐洲私人收藏The present lot is moulded in the form of a bound scroll surrounded by archaistic chilong. Compare with two very similar blanc-de-Chine ewers and covers, Ming dynasty, illustrated in Dehua Wares Collected by the Palace Museum II, Beijing, 2016, pp.342-349, nos.149-150. See also a similar blanc-de-Chine cylindrical ewer, second half of the 17th century, illustrated by C.J.A.Jörg, Chinese Ceramics in the Collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam: The Ming and Qing Dynasties, Amsterdam, 1997, p.240, pl.272.Compare also with a related blanc-de-Chine ewer and cover, early Qing dynasty, which was sold at Bonhams Hong Kong, 24 November 2012, lot 552.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 BRONZE FIGURE OF A SEATED IMMORTALLate Ming DynastyThe ascetic figure perched on top of a plinth, apparently in a rocky sea, his head shaved except for a pigtail, holding a ruyi along his left arm, a rolled scroll beside his right hand resting on his knee, the surface darkly patinated. 27cm (10 1/2in) high.Footnotes:明晚期 銅仙人坐像Provenance: Ralph M. Chait Galleries, New York, 18 November 2005A European private collection來源：Ralph M. Chait Galleries，紐約，2005年11月18日歐洲私人收藏The present lot could be a representation of the Daoist Immortal Lü Dongbin, patron of all scholars. Compare with a related bronze figure of an Immortal, illustrated in China's Renaissance in Bronze: The Robert H.Clague Collection of Later Chinese Bronzes 1100-1900, Phoenix, 1993, p.211, no.52. Compare also with related bronze figures of the Daoist Immortal Lü Dongbin, Ming dynasty, illustrated by R.Kerr, Later Chinese Bronzes, London, 1990, pp.82-83, nos.64 and 65. See also a related bronze figure of Lü Dongbin, 16th/17th century, illustrated by M.Maucuer, Bronzes de la Chine Imperiale des Song aux Qing, Paris, 2013, p.156, no.108.Compare with a related but larger bronze figure of a Daoist Immortal, late Ming dynasty, which was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 6 April 2015, lot 157.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
HAKUIN EKAKU (1685-1768)The Poet Hitomaro Edo period (1615-1868), mid-18th century Kakejiku (hanging scroll), ink on paper in silk mounts, depicting the poet Hitomaro, the image (except the detail of his face) made up of script elements from one of his poems, with another poem to the left (see below); with three seals: one Rinzai Shoshu, two unread; with a fitted wood tomobako storage box inscribed outside Hakuin Osho bokuseki Hitomaru zu (An Ink Painting of Hitomaru by Priest Hakuin) and inscribed inside Higashiyama Sahen daiga (Inscribed by Higashiyama Sahen). Overall: 109cm x 69.6cm (43in x 27 3/8in); image: 32.5cm x 54.5cm (12¾in x 21½in) (2).Footnotes:Kakinomoto no Hitomaro (also Hitomaru, circa 662-709), the most famous Japanese poet of the earliest period, has been depicted in art since the Heian period (794-1185) and his basic posture, seated in court robes and holding a brush, was established in 1118 by a portrait (no longer extant) that has served as the model for all subsequent depictions. Hakuin always painted the poet as amoji-e (picture made of writing) using both Chinese characters and the more flexible Japanese hiragana syllables from one of Hitomaro's most famous poems: Honobono to / Akashi no ura / no asagiri ni / shimagakureyuku / fune o shi zo omou that was memorably translated in 1919 by Arthur Waley whose English version exactly reverses the line-order of the original: My thoughts are with a boat / Which travels island-hid / In the morning-mist / Of the shore of Akashi— / Dim, dim!. The punning poem to the left, also seen in most if not all of Hakuin's Hitomaro paintings, reads: Shobo wa / kaki no moto made / kitaredomo / Akashi to ieba / koko ni hi tomaru, translated by Addiss and Seo (cited below): The destructive fire / reached / Kakinomoto— / but when we called out 'Akashi' / it stopped there. For a discussion of Hakuin's Hitomaro images, see Audrey Yoshiko Seo and Stephen Addiss, The Sound of One Hand: Paintings and Calligraphy by Zen Master Hakuin, Boston, Shambhala Publications, 2010, pp.193-197.Hakuin painted this image many times with only slight variations but there is an especially similar example in the collections of Hanazono University Historical Museum, Kyoto, see iriz.hanazono.ac.jp/k_room/k_room01e2.htmlThe storage box was inscribed by Higashiyama Sahen, better known as Takeda Mokurai (1854-1930), a highly influential Zen master who emphasized, like Hakuin, that Zen enlightenment cannot be rushed and requires years of diligent patience and discipline before the final breakthrough is achieved.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
GOTO ICHIJO (1791-1876) AND OTHER ARTISTSFive Fuchi-Gashira (Matched Hilt Collars and Pommels) Edo period (1615-1868), 19th centuryThe first shakudo nanako, chiselled in relief and with gold details depicting five shishi (Chinese mythical lions) in various poses, the fuchi plate also shakudo with nekogaki ('cat-scratch') striations, signed Goto Hokkyo Ichijo; the second shakudo, chiselled and with flush inlay of textile patterns in gold and copper, signed Sendai no ju Kiyosada (1805-1831, Haynes 03322); the third shakudo nanako chiselled and inlaid in copper and gold relief with horses, signed Terusada (Haynes 09620) with a kao (cursive monogram); the fourth shakudo nanako chiselled and inlaid in gold, silver, and copper relief with Juroin (kashira) and Daikoku (fuchi) and their attributes of scroll and mallet, signed Akagiken Taizan Motozane with a kao (cursive monogram); the fifth shibuichi, chiselled and inlaid in gold and shakudo relief with a waterfall (kashira) and lakeside landscape with buildings (fuchi), signed Garyusai (Katsushige, active early 19th century, Haynes 02876) with a kao (cursive monogram); all five with wood storage boxes. (15).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 VERY RARE CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL AND GILT-BRONZE 'DOUBLE SCROLL' 'TROMPE-L'OEIL' BRUSHPOT, BITONGQianlongThe vessel ingeniously simulating in its form two scrolls bound together with a ribbon, the smaller scroll decorated with multi-coloured chrysanthemums within a honeycomb pattern, with further flowers scattered above, the large scroll decorated with further stylised florettes against a wan-diaper pattern ground enameled turquoise blue, the 'ribbon' dark blue with green foliate scroll tied with a bow, the gilt base flat. 9.5cm (3 3/4in) high.Footnotes:清乾隆 銅胎掐絲琺瑯捲軸式筆筒Provenance: Spink & Son Ltd., London, 1987Published, Illustrated and Exhibited: Spink & Son Ltd, The Minor Arts of China, London, 1987, no.101.S.Marsh, Brushpots: A Collector's View, Hong Kong, 2020, pp.154-155.來源：倫敦古董商Spink & Son Ltd.，1987年展覽著錄： Spink & Son Ltd,《The Minor Arts of China》，倫敦，1987年，編號101S.Marsh，《筆筒淵鑒：收藏家的隨心所悟》，香港，2020年，第154-155頁Scrolls, repositories of learning and art, whether containing calligraphy, a painting or texts, perfectly encapsulate the ideals of the scholar-literati. Indeed, the Four Arts of the Scholar were qin (the zither), qi (chess), shu (calligraphy), hua (painting). In this rubric, scrolls usually come to signify calligraphy and painting. It would have been entirely suitable therefore, for a brushpot in the form of scrolls to adorn the desk of a scholar. The literati appreciated the value of 'play' (wan 玩) however, and so-called 'scholar's objects' can be termed in Chinese as wenwan (文玩), or 'literati playthings'. The trompe-l'oeil effect of a brushpot formed as two beribboned scrolls entirely fits this aesthetic of elegant fun and would have delighted the eye of the scholar. See a cloisonné enamel guqin-shaped box and cover, Qianlong, in the Victoria & Albert Museum, London (acc.no.M.782BOX-1910). See also a cloisonné enamel box of scroll and brocade form, mid Qing dynasty, in the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in the Compendium of Collections of the Palace Museum: Enamels, vol.4, Beijing, 2011, p.161, no.112. Compare also with a related cloisonné enamel 'double scroll' brushpot of similar form, for which the present lot was probably the earlier prototype, late Qing dynasty, illustrated in ibid., p.364, no.294.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 SUPERB AND LAGRE BLUE AND WHITE 'BIRDS' BRUSHPOT, BITONGShunzhiSturdily potted, the large cylindrical vessel exquisitely painted in vibrant tones of cobalt-blue around the exterior with a continuous scene of three quails on a large rock issuing chrysanthemums and bamboo, together with other birds and butterflies, a pheasant amidst a gnarled rock issuing peonies and orchids, all between incised borders at the foot and mouth. 26.7cm (10 1/2in) high. Footnotes:清順治 青花花鳥紋筆筒Provenance: Christie's London, 11 November 1985, lot 134Anthony du Boulay (1929-2022)Bonhams London, 10 November 2003, lot 18Published, Illustrated and Exhibited: M.Butler et al, Shunzhi Porcelain: Treasures of an Unknown Reign, Alexandra, Virginia, 2002, p.95.The London Asian Art Fair, Porcelain for Emperors, London, 2003, no.27S.Marsh, Brushpots: A Collector's View, Hong Kong, 2020, pp.96-97.來源：倫敦佳士得，1985年11月11日，拍品編號134Anthony du Boulay (1929-2022)倫敦邦瀚斯，2003年11月10日，拍品編號18展覽著錄：M.Butler等，《Shunzhi Porcelain: Treasures of an Unknown Reign》，亞歷山大，維吉尼亞州，2002年，第95頁伦敦亚洲艺术博览会，《Porcelain for Emperors》，伦敦，2003年，编号27S.Marsh，《筆筒淵鑒：收藏家的隨心所悟》，香港，2020年，第96-97頁The decoration on the scroll pot is laden with auspicious symbolism. The quail (an 鵪), is a homophone for peace (an 安), while chrysanthemum (ju 菊) is a homophone for 'dwelling' (ju 居), thus together they form a rebus for 'may you dwell in peace'. The quail was also considered an emblem of courage because of its pugnacious character. Furthermore, the golden pheasant decorated the rank badge of officials of the second rank, and was thus known as a symbol of literary ability and high office. The peonies too are known as flowers of 'wealth and honour' (fugui hua 富貴花). It could be that the depiction of numerous birds and phoenix embodies the popular and auspicious design of the 'Hundred Birds Paying Tribute to the Phoenix'. According to Chinese legend, the phoenix is the King of all feathered creatures, appearing only in times of prosperity and peace. Not only was this auspicious for couples, but also for a time of political instability between the Ming and Qing dynasties, as the newly installed Manchu Emperor Shunzhi would have strongly desired political obedience. Or likewise, birds could also be used by secret Ming loyalists to express their loyalty to the toppled Ming dynasty, such as in the paintings of Bada Shanren (1626-1705), whose similarly large-eyed birds expressed anger and sorrow. See Hui-Shu Lee, 'The Fish Leaves of the Anwan Album: Bada Shanren's Journeys to a Landscape of the Past', Ars Orientalis, vol.20, 1990, pp.69-85. Perhaps the quail on the present lot, about to attack an insect, is a comment on the strife at the time.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 BLUE AND WHITE AND COPPER-RED 'MASTER OF THE ROCKS' SAUCER DISHEarly KangxiPotted with deep rounded sides rising to a slightly everted rim, supported on a channelled foot, meticulously painted in vibrant tones of cobalt-blue with a rocky cliff on the left leading to a hut and gnarled wutong trees issuing copper-red leaves, the mountain range painted with characteristic 'hemp-fibre' strokes, curling around the lake, interspersed with mist executed with 'dots'. 33cm (13in) diam.Footnotes:清康熙早期 青花釉裡紅山水圖盤Provenance: Berwald Oriental Art Ltd., London來源：倫敦古董商Berwald Oriental Art Ltd.The present dish is decorated with a landscape in the so-called 'Master of the Rocks' style. This style, which seems to have developed towards the mid-17th century in the final years of the Ming dynasty, continued to be popular in the early years of the Kangxi reign, with very few examples being made as late as the turn of the century. The 'Master of the Rocks' style was by no means limited to the brush of a single artist, and appears in a number of versions on porcelains from about 1640 to 1700. It was used on porcelains decorated in underglaze cobalt blue and also those decorated in underglaze blue and copper red, such as the present lot. There are even very rare examples where the style has been combined with famille verte enamels. The style itself is characterised by the use of 'hemp-fibre' strokes to produce rocky landscapes full of movement and drama, often combined with the use of fluid dots to depict scrub and foliage.This development in porcelain painting reflected elements seen in the landscape painting of certain artists working on silk and paper. The use of 'hemp-fibre' brush strokes can be seen in the work of the famous late Ming dynasty literatus Dong Qichang (1555-1636), for example in his hanging scroll 'Autumn Landscape' in the Nü Wa Chai Collection illustrated by J.Cahill, Chinese Painting, Lausanne, n.d., p.150. The dramatic, almost writhing, rock forms as well as the 'hemp-fibre' brush strokes can also be seen in paintings such as 'Returning Home from Gathering Fungus' painted in 1628 by Wang Jianzhang (active 1628-1644), illustrated by S.Little, Chinese Porcelains of the Seventeenth Century: Landscapes, Scholars' Motifs and Narratives, New York, 1995, p.36, fig.2.The influence of such paintings on the porcelain decorators at Jingdezhen was not necessarily direct. This style of painting was not only well-regarded, it also lent itself to translation into woodblock printing, and it is quite possible that it was through this medium that aspects of style, such as 'hemp-fibre' strokes were transmitted to the ceramic artists of Jingdezhen. See for example the 'hemp-fibre' brush stroke mountain landscape in the Mustard Seed Garden Manual of Painting, circa 1679, illustrated by T.Canepa and K.Butler, Leaping the Dragon Gate: The Sir Michael Butler Collection of Seventeenth-Century Chinese Porcelain, London, 2021, p.404.For a blue and white brushpot with this 'Master of the Rocks' style landscape dish, Kangxi, see ibid., pp.406-417.Compare also with a blue and white 'Master of the Rocks' dish, Kangxi, which was sold at Bonhams London, 6 November 2014, lot 111.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 large Chinese painted scroll, early 20th century. Depicting a seated dignitary, 212 x 79cm, image size 107 x 60cm. Provenance: From the estate of William Arthur Blackburn Leach.DOB: 2nd Jan 1872.Leach was born in Norwich where he attended a local grammar school, later becoming an apprentice carpenter and engineer. In 1902 after he had qualified, he went to China where he obtained a position in the Public Works Department of the Shanghai Municipal Council. He spent his working life in Shanghai until he left in 1926.During his time in China he held interests in a Christian Mission school and helped to support street children.He seized every opportunity to visit other parts of China and took thousands of photographs. He purchased widely on his travels, particularly woodcarvings, bronzes, traditional kimonos, paintings and porcelain. He treasured silver items and bought much to take home. He travelled home at least four times during his stay in China and these return visits were round-the-world trips in which he travelled through and visited Europe, Russia, the Middle East, Egypt and The Holy Land, the Far East, Canada and USA.On his return to the UK he lived in Northampton where he was a lay preacher and a local councillor. He gave a great many talks on his experiences in China and the many other Countries he had visited.He died in 1962. The background paper has been torn at each end. The work itself is undamaged and unrepaired but does have some creasing, foxing and browning caused by the mounting paper
A RARE AND EXTREMELY LARGE PAIR OF MOULDED FAMILLE ROSE 'WU SHUANG PU' VASESLate Qing DynastyEach vase of baluster form and decorated in mirror image, the body of each finely moulded and painted with the four historical figures Liu Chen, An Min, Dong Fangshou and Yue Fei, the shoulders moulded with the Hehe twins on one side, and the Star Gods Cai and Zi, all against a yellow sgraffito ground set with flowering stems, the shoulders set with elephant head handles suspending a fixed ring, stylised lappets around the foot, the rim with a key-scroll band above a pendent ruyi head border.124cm (48 3/4in) high (2).Footnotes:清晚期 粉彩模印無雙譜人物圖瓶 一對Vases of this massive scale were first produced in the late 17th and 18th Centuries for export to the West where they graced the doorways of European palaces and stately homes. At the time they were typically referred to as 'soldier' or 'dragoon' vases, a name thought to derive from a historical incident in 1717 when Augustus the Strong of Saxony is said to have traded 600 cavalrymen, known as dragoons, for a collection of 150 Chinese porcelain vases in negotiations with Frederick the Great of Prussia. It is therefore fitting that the famous general Yue Fei (1103-1142) has been selected for inclusion on the body of these 'soldier' vases, along with Liu Chen (220-265), prince of Beidi also depicted in military garb. The other two figures are the official and courier of Emperor Wu Dong Fangshuo (154-93 BC) and stone mason An Min (1050-1125).The figures are taken from the Wu shuang pu compiled by Jin Guliang during the mid-17th century. The manual describes forty peerless heroes from the Han to Song dynasties. The descriptive texts reproduced over the body of the vase are also taken from the woodblock printed manual. The text became a popular source of inspiration for famille rose porcelain of the late Qing period. Vases of the subject on this scale are known, for example, a pair of vases 131cm high depicting scenes from Wu Shuang pu was sold Bonhams Knightsbridge, Asian Art, 9 May 2022, lot 152. However, the moulded detail and craftsmanship of the present vase ranks high above other known examples of the subject.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
ANONYMOUS (18TH/19TH CENTURY)Heavenly King and LuohanInk and pigment on silk, hanging scroll. 39cm (15 3/8in) wide × 115.5cm (45 1/2in) longFootnotes:Provenance: Christie's South Kensington, 14 August 1997, lot 266An English private collection, and thence by descent 佚名 羅漢天王匯合圖 設色絹本 立軸 The warrior deity who is clad in armour and brandishes a sword is one of the 'Four Heavenly Kings'- the Viruḍhaka (增長天王), the Guardian of the Southern Direction and the protector of dharma (Buddhist teaching). The seated figure carried by a group of demons is a luohan regarded as the original disciples of Buddha. Sets of luohan, numbering from sixteen, eighteen to five hundred, were enshrined in larger Buddhist temples. The subject of luohan was a favourite theme in Chinese legend and painting.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
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