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Pokémon Trading Cards - Large collection Of Pokemon Cards to include common, uncommon, rare, holo rare, duplication, etc

Pokémon Trading Cards - Pokemon EX Deoxys Secret Rare Rocket's Raikou EX 108/107 card, ex

Pokémon Trading Cards - Pokemon EX Deoxys Secret Rare Rocket's Raikou EX 108/107 card, ex

AYNSLEY J.BAILEY SIGNED RARE COMPORT CABBAGE ROSE DESIGN

A Rare Jade Green 232L Series British Telephone, the handset marked S-38 GPO No 164 234, with original braided cord, with pull out "cheese tray", the base numbered 1/ 232 c BSV3/1 C.

A Rare Chinese Red 232L Series British Telephone, the handset marked 164-56, with original braided cord, with pull out "cheese tray", the base numbered 1/232L SBC/2, GPO batch sampled 5358. 

Four Sasha dolls, including the rare red haired boy, , two of babies, a girl and a boy, with clothing and two original packaging tubes

A RARE GILT-GLASS 'MYTHICAL BEAST' SEALProbably Ming DynastyThe unusual seal carved from white glass with a standing plump mythical beast with a bifurcated horn reaching down the curved back, the two front paws held up and each terminating in short wings at the shoulder, the seal covered with a layer of gilding. 5.8cm (2 1/4in) high.Footnotes:或明 鍍金玻璃獸鈕印章Provenance: Bonhams London, 7 November 2013, lot 160An English private collection來源： 倫敦邦瀚斯，2013年11月7日，拍品編號160英國私人收藏The seal probably reads 叚名寸元 Jia ming cun yuan.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A RARE CARVED CINNABAR LACQUER TABLE SCREENMid-Ming DynastyThe shaped rectangular screen intricately and deeply carved on one side with a landscape view depicting a group of scholars, three seated outdoor, one within a small hut, gazing at the mountainous range before them, flanked by a overhanging pine, a wutong tree and a pagoda, all above a border with mythical long-tailed birds interspersed with rocks and floral shrubs. 15.9cm (6 1/2in) high.Footnotes:明中期 剔紅山水人物紋桌屏Contemplative scenes depicting elderly scholars and Court figures at leisure, gazing at a scenery from the surroundings of an idyllic country retreat with pavilions and waterside terraces, are a classic subject of lacquer ware produced during the Ming dynasty.Related table screens were more frequently made in other media: compare, for example, a Longquan celadon-glazed table screen, dated by inscription to 1492, in the Percival David collection in the British Museum, London, illustrated by S.Pierson, Illustrated Catalogue of Celadon Wares in the Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, London, 1997, no.A207. Compare with a related carved cinnabar lacquer table screen, Ming dynasty, Hongzhi, decorated with Court figures in a garden setting, which was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 1 December 2009, lot 1827.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A RARE BLUE AND WHITE 'MAGIC FOUNTAIN' EWERFour-character Fu Shou Kang Ning mark, JiajingOf pear-shape with a long waisted neck below a galleried rim, painted in vivid tones of blue on each side of the body with an elaborate water fountain supported on a mythical qilin, the neck with upright plantain leaves, applied with an elegantly curved spout and arched strap-handle further decorated with floral scrolls. 32cm (12 1/2in) high.Footnotes:明嘉靖 青花噴泉麒麟紋執壺青花「福壽康寧」楷書款Provenance: an English private collection來源：英國私人收藏The Jiajing emperor is known to have been concerned with Immortality, hence many decorative motifs during his reign were associated with longevity. The precise meaning and origins of these fountains are unclear, but the motif appears to evoke the wish of extending life, or living forever. This theme is carried on by the mark on the base reading 'fu shou kang ning', which can be translated as 'wealth, long life, health and peace', implying almost that to drink from this ewer would extend one's own life and good fortune.These ewers also found their way to Europe where they were appreciated for their exoticism. An oil painting in the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid, by Willem Kalf, circa 1660, depicts a still life with a very similar blue and white ewer with the same motif (acc.no.1981.77).A related blue and white ewer with similar motif, Xuande six-character mark, 16th century, is illustrated by J.Pope, Chinese Porcelains from the Ardebil Shrine, London, 1981, pl.99. Another similar blue and white ewer with the same motif is in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (acc.no.C.105-1928).Compare with a related blue and white ewer with similar motif, Jiajing, which was sold at Bonhams London, 7 November 2019, lot 90.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A RARE BLUE AND WHITE EIGHT 'TRIGRAMS' JARJiajing six-character mark and of the period The bulbous body rising from a spreading foot, painted around the exterior with a row of trigrams in circles surrounded by auspicious cranes in various positions amidst ruyi-shaped clouds, the six-character mark on the base arranged in a circle. 15cm (5 3/4in) diam. Footnotes:明嘉靖 青花八卦雲鶴紋罐青花「大明嘉靖年造」楷書款Provenance: Hans F. Goldstein (1915-1985), and thence by descent來源：Hans F. Goldstein (1915-1985)舊藏，並由後人收藏迄今This lot and those offered at Bonhams London in May 2023 form the remaining collection of H. F. Goldstein, an earlier part of which was sold at Bonhams Hong Kong and London in 2015-2016. Hans Goldstein's work during the 1950s took him to all parts of the Far East and this in turn stimulated his interest in Oriental art and in particular Chinese porcelain. His collection developed gradually and initially concentrated on inside-painted snuff bottles. As he became more knowledgeable, he began to collect blue and white porcelain and other Chinese ceramics and works of art. He came to London in the mid-1960s and continued to collect by regularly visiting art dealers and the main auction houses in London.The Jiajing emperor was an enthusiast of Daoist rituals and ceramic wares with the 'Eight Trigrams motifs' related to Daoism, were particularly favoured. See a very similar blue and white footed bowl, Jiajing mark and period, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (acc.no.1991.253.49). Compare also with a similarly-shaped blue and white jar, Jiajing mark and of the period, illustrated in Enlightening Elegance. Imperial Porcelain of the Mid to Late Ming. The Huaihaitang Collection, Hong Kong, 2012, pp.154-155.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A RARE WUCAI 'FIVE POISONOUS CREATURES' SAUCER-DISHWanli six-character mark and of the periodThe dish finely decorated in the centre with a landscape scene featuring an Immortal riding a mythical animal amidst pine trees, floral shrubs and the 'Five Poisonous Creatures', also depicted on the exterior alternating with floral sprays, the base with the six-character mark within a double circle in underglaze blue. 14.3cm (5 5/8in) diam.Footnotes:明萬曆 五彩張天師斬五毒紋盤青花「大明萬曆年製」楷書款Provenance: Hans F. Goldstein (1915-1985), and thence by descent來源：Hans F. Goldstein (1915-1985)舊藏，並由後人保存迄今This lot and those offered at Bonhams London in May 2023 form the remaining collection of H. F. Goldstein, an earlier part of which was sold at Bonhams Hong Kong and London in 2015-2016. Hans Goldstein's work during the 1950s took him to all parts of the Far East and this in turn stimulated his interest in Oriental art and in particular Chinese porcelain. His collection developed gradually and initially concentrated on inside-painted snuff bottles. As he became more knowledgeable, he began to collect blue and white porcelain and other Chinese ceramics and works of art. He came to London in the mid-1960s and continued to collect by regularly visiting art dealers and the main auction houses in London.The 'Five Poisons' depicted on the present dish refer to 'Five Poisonous Animals' comprising the snake, the three-legged toad, the centipede, the scorpion and the lizard. The practice of using the 'Five Poisons' to 'defeat poison with poison' (以毒攻毒 yi du gong du) was applied in Chinese medicine since the earliest times; see Yan Liu, Healing with Poisons, Washington, 2021, p.8. The Five Poisons were thought to possess the power to counteract any pernicious influences and their protective qualities were called upon on the occasion of the Dragon Boat Festival, which occurs on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month.Compare with a similar wucai dish, Wanli mark and period, also decorated with the 'Five Poisonous Creatures', which was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 27 October 2003, lot 614.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A RARE GREEN AND AUBERGINE-GLAZED 'DRAGON' BOWLKangxi six-character mark and of the periodThe bowl with rounded sides rising from a short straight foot to a slightly everted rim, finely decorated around the exterior with a pair of aubergine five-clawed dragons striding amidst clouds in pursuit of 'flaming pearls' above tumultuous waves and the mythical mountains, all on a green ground, the interior white, the base with the six-character mark in underglaze blue. 13.4cm (5 1/2in) diam.Footnotes:清康熙 綠地褐彩雲龍紋碗青花「大清康熙年製」楷書款Provenance: Hans F. Goldstein (1915-1985), and thence by descent來源：Hans F. Goldstein(1915-1985)舊藏，並由後人保存迄今This lot and those offered at Bonhams London in May 2023 form the remaining collection of H. F. Goldstein, an earlier part of which was sold at Bonhams Hong Kong and London in 2015-2016. Hans Goldstein's work during the 1950s took him to all parts of the Far East and this in turn stimulated his interest in Oriental art and in particular Chinese porcelain. His collection developed gradually and initially concentrated on inside-painted snuff bottles. As he became more knowledgeable, he began to collect blue and white porcelain and other Chinese ceramics and works of art. He came to London in the mid-1960s and continued to collect by regularly visiting art dealers and the main auction houses in London.According to The History of the Palace (Guochao gongshi), compiled in the seventh year of the Qianlong reign (1742), vessels decorated with designs of aubergine dragons on a green ground were intended for use by the emperors' concubines of the fifth rank, guiren 貴人. A similar green-ground aubergine-glazed 'dragon' bowl, Kangxi mark and period, is illustrated by Geng Baochang, Gugong Bowuyuan cang gu taoci ciliao xuancui, vol.2, Beijing, 2005, pl.88; another in the Shanghai Museum is published by Wang Qingzheng, Kangxi Porcelain Wares from the Shanghai Museum Collection, Hong Kong, 1998, pl.196. Compare also with two other similar green and aubergine-glazed 'dragon' bowls, Kangxi marks and period, in the Helen and Peter Lin Collection, illustrated in Joined Colours, Decoration and Meaning in Chinese Porcelain, Washington, 1993, p.90, no.19 and p.91, no.20. Compare with a similar aubergine-glazed green-ground 'dragon' bowl, Kangxi six-character mark and of the period, which was sold at Bonhams London, 12 May 2022, lot 171.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A VERY RARE DOUCAI 'CHRYSANTHEMUM' MEDALLION BOWLYongzheng six-character mark and of the period The finely-potted bowl with gently rounded sides rising from a short straight foot, meticulously painted with underglaze blue outlines and overglaze enamels on the exterior with five medallions containing multi-coloured scrolling chrysanthemums, surrounded by tricorn scrolling floral motifs. 11.8cm (4 1/2in) diam.Footnotes:清雍正 鬪彩團菊紋碗 青花「大清雍正年製」楷書款 Provenance: Hans F. Goldstein (1915-1985), and thence by descent來源：Hans F. Goldstein(1915-1985)舊藏，並由後人保存迄今This lot and those offered at Bonhams London in May 2023 form the remaining collection of H. F. Goldstein, an earlier part of which was sold at Bonhams Hong Kong and London in 2015-2016. Hans Goldstein's work during the 1950s took him to all parts of the Far East and this in turn stimulated his interest in Oriental art and in particular Chinese porcelain. His collection developed gradually and initially concentrated on inside-painted snuff bottles. As he became more knowledgeable, he began to collect blue and white porcelain and other Chinese ceramics and works of art. He came to London in the mid-1960s and continued to collect by regularly visiting art dealers and the main auction houses in London.Meticulously decorated with roundels of chrysanthemum flowers separated by lotus sprays, the present bowl is a testament to the Yongzheng emperor's penchant for classic styles of the past. In this instance, the design and colour scheme are based on a Ming dynasty prototype dating to the Chenghua period, which was adapted and reinterpreted in accordance to contemporary taste. See a doucai bowl excavated from the Ming Imperial kilns at Jingdezhen, included in the exhibition A Legacy of Chenghua, The Tsui Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1993, no.C119. Chenghua polychrome porcelain provided much inspiration to the potters active at the Imperial kilns during the Yongzheng period as these early wares were particularly treasured by the emperor. An official record dated to 1732 lists 57 porcelain designs that were to be produced by the Imperial kilns and mentions Chenghua polychrome porcelain among the most admired wares of the past. While masterpieces of the past were at times sent to Jingdezhen and used as models for direct copying, the most successful Yongzheng wares are contemporary interpretations of classic designs. The present lot is such a creation: chrysanthemum roundels are known on Chenghua porcelain but the addition of the aubergine enamels to highlight some of the petals is characteristic of the Qing period. Compare with a pair of similar doucai bowls, Yongzheng marks and of the period, illustrated in Chinese Porcelain: The S.C.Ko Tianminlou Collection: Part I, Hong Kong, 1987, no.100, and a similar doucai bowl, Yongzheng mark and period, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated by Beauty of Ceramics: Gems of Doucai, vol.6, Taipei, 1993, pl.102.See three similar doucai 'chrysanthemum' medallion bowls, Yongzheng six-character marks and of the period, which were sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 29 April 2022, lot 3515, Sotheby's London, 6 November 2016, lot 152 and Christie's Hong Kong, 28 May 2014, lot 3459.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A RARE TEADUST-GLAZED DOUBLE-GOURD VASEQianlong seal mark and of the period The bulbous lower body and elongated upper bulk joined by a slender waist moulded with lappets, flanked by a pair of S-shaped handles terminating in ruyi heads, covered with a finely mottled glaze of deep olive tone, the base carved with six-character mark written in seal script. 26cm (10 1/4in) high.Footnotes:清乾隆 茶葉沫釉雙耳葫蘆瓶「大清乾隆年製」篆書款Provenance: Hans F. Goldstein (1915-1985), and thence by descent來源：Hans F. Goldstein(1915-1985)舊藏，並由後人保存迄今This lot and those offered at Bonhams London in May 2023 form the remaining collection of H. F. Goldstein, an earlier part of which was sold at Bonhams Hong Kong and London in 2015-2016. Hans Goldstein's work during the 1950s took him to all parts of the Far East and this in turn stimulated his interest in Oriental art and in particular Chinese porcelain. His collection developed gradually and initially concentrated on inside-painted snuff bottles. As he became more knowledgeable, he began to collect blue and white porcelain and other Chinese ceramics and works of art. He came to London in the mid-1960s and continued to collect by regularly visiting art dealers and the main auction houses in London.The double-gourd vase with loop handles is known as fushouping and carries connotations of good fortune, happiness and longevity. The teadust glaze is composed of olive and yellow specks resembling teadust. It had been used in the Yaozhou and other north Chinese kilns during the Tang and early Song dynasties, but reached its maturity by the Yongzheng and Qianlong reigns of the Qing dynasty, when it was known as 'factory glaze', changguan you.For similar vases, Qianlong seal marks and period, see the catalogues to the exhibitions at the Art Museum of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shimmering Colours: Monochromes of the Yuan to Qing Periods: The Zhuyuetang Collection, no.167, and Ethereal Elegance: Porcelain Vases of the Imperial Qing: The Huaihaitang Collection, no.60. For a further example, see R.Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, London, 1994, vol.II, no.938.Compare with a similar teadust-glazed double-gourd vase, Qianlong seal mark and period, which was sold at Bonhams London, 10 November 2011, lot 67.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A RARE POLYCHROME ENAMELLED 'FLORAL' BOWLShendetang zhi iron-red mark, DaoguangThe rounded sides rising from a slightly tapered foot to a gently flaring rim, finely enamelled to the exterior with sprays of blossoming flowers and foliage, the base with the four-character mark in iron red. 10.6cm (4 1/8in) diam.Footnotes:清道光 粉彩花卉紋碗礬紅「慎德堂製」楷書款Provenance: Hans F. Goldstein (1915-1985), and thence by descent來源：Hans F. Goldstein(1915-1985)舊藏，並由後人保存迄今This lot and those offered at Bonhams London in May 2023 form the remaining collection of H. F. Goldstein, an earlier part of which was sold at Bonhams Hong Kong and London in 2015-2016. Hans Goldstein's work during the 1950s took him to all parts of the Far East and this in turn stimulated his interest in Oriental art and in particular Chinese porcelain. His collection developed gradually and initially concentrated on inside-painted snuff bottles. As he became more knowledgeable, he began to collect blue and white porcelain and other Chinese ceramics and works of art. He came to London in the mid-1960s and continued to collect by regularly visiting art dealers and the main auction houses in London.See a similar polychrome enamelled 'floral' bowl, Shende Tang zhi mark in iron red, Daoguang, illustrated in Splendour of the Qing Dynasty, Hong Kong, 1992, p.332, no.199. Compare also with a related famille rose bowl, Shende Tang Zhi mark in iron red, Daoguang, which was sold at Christie's New York, 20 September 2013, lot 1398.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A RARE AND IMPORTANT IMPERIAL COURT PAINTING OF THE BANNERMAN TE'ER DENG CHEQianlong, dated by inscription to the Wushen year, corresponding to 1788 and of the periodInk and colours on silk, depicting a bannerman facing directly the viewer with finely painted whiskers, donning a fur-lined hat surmounted by a coral bead and a peacock feather with a single-eyed plume (dan yan hua ling), dressed in a grey surcoat with foliate roundels, green colour and tunic, wearing a pair of black silk boots with white soles, his right hand drawing his sword, his left hand holding the shagreen scabbard, eulogised with several lines of text above, the right side with Chinese in kaishu calligraphy and in Manchu on the left, with one seal of the Qianlong emperor between, reading Qianlong Yulan Zhibao, mounted on board.  The painting, 186cm high x 96cm wide (73in high x 37 3/4in wide).Footnotes:清乾隆戊申年 1788 特爾登徹像 設色絹本Provenance: an English private collection; according to the owner, the painting was gifted to the owner's late husband circa 1970s.來源：英國私人收藏；據現藏家稱，該畫於二十世紀七十年代由友人贈予其現已過世的丈夫The inscription in Manchu reads:meiren i janggin i jergi uheri da bihe xukdan baturu teldence daci solon i dorgi gabtara manggangge da tolome goirakvngge akv, dabkime morin noilhumbume faida be birehe de dardai andande efulerakvungge akv, ehe hvlha be sihame fargara de etuhun hvsun i fafurxame funturxehe de dasame arbun nirubufi, erei faxxaha be saixame iletulehe abkai fehiyehe xufayan bonio aniya juwari ujui biyade han i arahanggeThe inscription in Chinese reads:原副都統銜總管舒克丹巴圖魯特爾登徹索倫勁手箭無虛發躍馬突陣縱横倏忽視力窮追猛氣咆勃再炳丹青用旌偉伐乾隆戊申孟夏御題Which may be translated as:Former Lieutenant-general, Commandant [and] Xukdan Baturu [Manchu term for national hero], TeldenceOriginally from the Solon [people], he is an expert at archery and who does not miss [literally: counting his hits, he has no misses]. When whipping his horse, making it gallop, and rushing to attack the formation, there is nothing he does not destroy. When hot on the pursuit of the evil bandits, he vigorously rooted them out. Having [ordered] to paint [his] image, through this moreover, I commend him and make obvious his effort.Written by the Emperor Qianlong in the early Summer of the Wushen year (1788) Bannermen were the Qing dynasty's military elite administered into divisions known as the Eight Banners. Apart from being soldiers, the banner system was also the basic organisational framework of all Manchu society and included various groups including Manchus, Mongols and Han Chinese. The Solon people, mentioned in the present inscription, are a subgroup of the Evenki people of north-eastern Asia. The Solon were ordered by the Qianlong Emperor to stop using rifles and instead practice traditional archery, issuing an edict for silver taels to be issued for guns to be turned over to the government. It is not surprising therefore, that the Emperor praises Teldence's archery skills in particular. The eulogy of the present lot describes the bannerman Teldence (Chinese name Te'er Dengche), as a heroic and brave warrior and praises his relentless pursuit of the rebels. This portrait, and those of other officers in this series of Bannerman paintings, was commissioned by the Qianlong Emperor as part of two series of portraits after the triumphant campaign in Taiwan against Ming-loyalist rebels in the years 1787 to 1788. Teldence's rank and excellence in the battlefield is unmistakable in the single-eyed peacock feather that hangs prominently from the back of his black fur-trimmed winter hat, an Imperial gift bestowed only to officers who had distinguished themselves in a military campaign.In 1786 a rebellion arose out of central Taiwan in the village of Daliyi, led by the Ming loyalist Lin Shuangwen. The brutality of the Qing army against the local populace sparked an uprising on 16th January 1787, and Lin organised an army that quickly seized Taichung, Hsinchu and Chunghwa, which was established as their capital. He assumed the title 'King of the Ming' and extended his territory to Fengshan, but was unable to gain control of the capital city, Tainan. The rebels were able to defend their holdings despite Qing reinforcements from the mainland until Lin Cou, one of Lin Shuangwen's generals, defected to the Qing. On 10th February 1788, after ruling central Taiwan for over a year, Ling Shuangwen was captured and later executed, marking the end of the campaign.This portrait, painting number 5 in the second set of portraits, was produced in 1788. The yuan 原 ('former') character in the inscription implies that Teldence had died by the time the portrait was painted, either during the campaign or after. Such Imperial bannerman paintings were housed in the Ziguange (Hall of Purple Splendour), a hall of fame for Immortal heroes, located in the West Garden of the Imperial Palace Precincts in Beijing. During the Qianlong Emperor's reign in total 280 compositions of bannermen portrait paintings were made which were hung in the Ziguang Pavilion. Following Qianlong's example, later emperors continued adding new portraits to the collection in the Ziguang Pavilion. During the reign of the Qianlong emperor the building was also used to display battle wall charts and seized weapons and was also known as the 'Hall of Barbarian Tributes'. The Qianlong emperor often held banquets and received foreigners there; to impress on foreign guests the Qing empire's formidable military power. See C.Ho and B.Bronson, Splendors of China's Forbidden City: the Glorious Reign of Emperor Qianlong, Chicago, 2004, p.118.The present lot embodies the Imperial academy workshop style of the eighteenth century, which combined traditional Chinese portrait painting with Western painting techniques introduced by Jesuit missionary artists at Court such as Giuseppe Castiglione (1688-1766), Ignace Sichelbart (1708-1780) and Jean-Denis Attiret (1702-1768). 

A FINE AND RARE WHITE JADE BOWLQianlongSmoothly carved with deep rounded sides rising from a short slightly tapering foot to a slightly tapering rim, the translucent stone of even pale white tone. 13.5cm (5 1/4in) diam.Footnotes:清乾隆 白玉素碗Provenance: a Western private collection, and thence by descent來源：西方私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今White jade bowls with a flawless quality of translucent stone, perfectly finished with a lustrous sheen and carved with gently rounded sides and flaring rim, embody the sophisticated taste of the Qianlong reign. The thin walls of the vessel, highlighting the translucency and purity of the material, probably inspired the creation of white porcelain bowls from the same period. Compare with a pair of similar but slightly larger white jade bowls, Qianlong four-character marks and of the period, in the University Museum and Art Gallery, Hong Kong, illustrated in Virtuous Treasures: Chinese Jades for the Scholar's Table, 2008, Hong Kong, p.82, fig.31.Compare with a pair of white jade bowls, Qianlong marks and of the period, which were sold at Bonhams Hong Kong, 30 May 2017, lot 115; see also a similar white jade bowl, Qianlong, which was sold at Bonhams London, 9 November 2017, lot 261.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 RARE WHITE-GLAZED JARDINIÈRE18th century The well-potted vessel of compressed globular form, elegantly formed with broad rounded shoulders below a small lipped rim, covered overall with an even white glaze of bluish tinge except within the slightly recessed base, wood stand. 23cm (9in) diam. (2).Footnotes:十八世紀 白釉缸Provenance: a European private collection, and thence by descent來源：歐洲私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今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 RARE LANGYAO-GLAZED BALUSTER VASEKangxiThe vessel well potted, rising from a ring foot to a waisted neck ending in an everted mouth rim, covered with a crackled glaze of crushed-strawberry-red tone thinning towards the cream-coloured rims, the interior and recessed base covered with a pale apple-green glaze. 44.3cm (17 1/2in) high.Footnotes:清康熙 郎窯紅釉觀音尊Provenance: a European private collection, and thence by descent來源：歐洲私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今Copper-red glazes, which had not been revisited since the Ming dynasty, were not only successfully fired but technically improved during the Kangxi period, renowned for its langyao and 'peach bloom' group. These may have been produced under the supervision of Zang Yingxuan and Lang Tingji (from which the name langyao derives), who demonstrated a commitment to precision and technological innovation, which would determine the subsequent history of Qing Imperial porcelain production; see J.Hay, 'The Diachronics of Early Qing Visual and Material Culture', in The Qing Formation in World Historical Time, Cambridge, 2004, p.318.Compare with a similar langyao-glazed vase, Kangxi, which was sold at Christie's New York, 15 September 2017, lot 1236.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 RARE PAIR OF YELLOW-GLAZED 'CRANE AND PINE' INCISED SAUCER-DISHESYongzheng six-character marks and of the periodEach delicately potted with rounded sides rising from a short cylindrical foot, incised in the interior with a pair of cranes standing on pitted rocks beneath a pine tree, the exterior with wispy clouds interspersed with bats, covered inside and out with a rich yellow glaze except within the foot which has a clear glaze. 13.4cm (5 1/2in) diam. (2).Footnotes:清雍正 黃釉暗刻松鶴紋盤青花「大清雍正年製」楷書款Provenance: a European private collection, and thence by descent來源：歐洲私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今Crane and pine tree are both the commonest emblems of longevity, together known as song he yan nian 松鶴延年, which means 'the pine and crane lengthen the life'. Imperial yellow-glazed dishes of this design are very rare. Compare with a similar yellow-enamelled incised 'crane and pine' dish, Yongzheng six-character mark and of the period, illustrated by R.Jacobsen, Ye Peilan and J.Thompson, Qingdai Kang Yong Qian guanyao ciqi: wangxing lou cang ci, Hong Kong, 2004, pp.236-237, no. 93. A similar incised yellow-glazed 'pine and crane' saucer-dish, Yongzheng mark and period, was sold at Sotheby's New York, 21 March 2018, lot 540.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 FINE AND RARE CARVED CELADON-GLAZED 'PEONY' BOWLYongzheng seal mark and of the periodFinely carved in shallow relief with a continuous peony scroll below a narrow band of hooked ribbon scroll, the foot with key-fret and the interior with scrolling peonies around a central medallion with further peony spray, the interior rim with a band of key-fret, covered overall in a pale celadon glaze. 26.7cm (10 1/2in) diam. Footnotes:清雍正 青釉淺浮雕纏枝花卉紋碗青花「大清雍正年製」篆書款Provenance: Sotheby's Hong Kong, 29 November 1976, lot 528A European private collection來源：香港蘇富比，1976年11月29日，拍品編號528歐洲私人收藏Remarkable for their impeccable quality of the glaze, elegant shapes and refined bodies; monochrome porcelains made in the Imperial kilns at Jingdezhen during the Yongzheng reign are ranked among the finest examples of Imperial wares made during the Qing dynasty. The Yongzheng emperor's enthusiasm for ancient art and innovation is clearly displayed by the present bowl. The elegant scrolling flower motif is reminiscent of early 15th century blue and white Imperial porcelain, while the glaze has been made to imitate the celebrated 'Longquan' celadon wares. By combining the two together, the potter has succeeded in creating a contemporary, elegant bowl suitable to the taste of its time. A smaller celadon-glazed bowl of this form and decoration, also with a Yongzheng reign mark and of the period, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in Qingdai yuyao ciqi, vol.1(II), Beijing, 2005, pl.106. See also a similar celadon glazed bowl, Yongzheng seal mark and period, illustrated by R.Krahl, The Anthony de Rothschild Collection of Chinese Ceramics, London, vol.2, 1996, pp.258-259, no.144.A similar bowl, Yongzheng seal mark and of the period, was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 8 April 2011, lot 3007. A related large celadon-glazed bowl with fruits, Yongzheng seal mark and of the period, was sold at Bonhams Hong Kong, 28 May 2019, lot 149.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 RARE FLAMBE-GLAZED RECTANGULAR PEAR-SHAPED VASE, HUQianlong seal mark and of the periodThe pear-shaped vessel covered in a rich purple transmutation glaze streaked with mottled sky-blue, thinning to a light beige at the mouth rim, the edges of the square tubular handles and the moulded channels on the neck, all running down to a neatly finished footrim, the glaze with typical triangular pin-pricks, the body with moulded peach-shaped panels to each side, the base and inside footrim with an ochre glaze over the incised zhuanshu mark.30cm (11 3/4in) high. Footnotes:清乾隆 窯變釉貫耳方壺 「大清乾隆年製」篆書刻款Provenance: John Sparks Ltd., LondonAn Irish private collection, acquired from the above on 5 November 1952, and thence by descent來源：倫敦古董商 John Sparks Ltd.愛爾蘭私人收藏，在1952年11月5日從上處購得，並由後人保存迄今The inspiration for the flambé glaze can be traced back to the splashed Jun wares of the Song dynasty. However this particular red glaze, derived from copper but also containing lead, was exceptionally unstable and difficult to control in the kiln, resulting in the highest failure rate of all Chinese glazes. It was not until an extraordinary technical mastery was developed during the Qing period, and the Qianlong reign in particular, that successful flambé-glazed porcelain could be produced, highlighting the exceptional quality and rarity of the present lot. The unusual shape of the hu vase, with its corners, handles and shallow boss on each side, presented additional possibilities for streaking and pooling for the craftsman to explore.A number of examples of this type of vase are in museum and private collections: one in the British Museum is illustrated by R.L.Hobson, Chinese Pottery and Porcelain, Vol.II, London, 1915, pl,.23, fig.1. A very similar vase in the Huaihaitang collection, Qianlong seal mark and period, is illustrated by P.Lam, Ethereal Elegance: Porcelain Vases of the Imperial Qing: The Huaihaitang Collection, Hong Kong, 2007, no.78, and another in the Tsui Museum of Art is illustrated by Yang Boda, The Tsui Museum of Art: Chinese Ceramics IV: Qing Dynasty, Hong Kong, 1995, no.47.See a similar flambé-glazed rectangular pear-shaped vase, Qianlong seal mark and of the period, which was sold at Bonhams London, 15 May 2014, lot 41.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 RARE COPPER-RED GLAZED VASE, YUHUCHUNPINGQianlong six-character seal mark and of the periodThe vessel elegantly potted with a pear-shaped body sweeping up to a waisted neck and a broad everted rim, supported on a short slightly splayed foot, richly applied to the exterior starting right below the rim with a mottled raspberry-red glaze thinning to a light mushroom tone at the foot, the reserved base glazed white and inscribed with the reign mark within a double circle. 35cm (13 6/8in) high.Footnotes:清乾隆 霁紅釉玉壺春瓶青花「大清乾隆年製」篆書款Provenance: a European private collection來源：歐洲私人收藏A similar copper-red-glazed vase, Qianlong seal mark and of the period, in the Nanjing Museum, is illustrated in The Official Kiln Porcelain of the Chinese Qing Dynasty, Shanghai, 2003, pl.346. Another similar vase, Qianlong seal mark and of the period, is illustrated in the Illustrated Catalogue of Tokyo National Museum: Chinese Ceramics, vol.2, Tokyo, 1990, pl.697. See also another similar vase, Qianlong seal mark and of the period, from the Hellebronth and Bernheimer collections, illustrated in Chinesische Keramik: Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst, Cologne, 1988, no.110.Compare with a similar copper-red-glazed vase, Qianlong seal mark and of the period, which was sold at Sotheby's New York, 15 September 2015, lot 85. See also a similar copper-red-glazed pear-shaped vase, Qianlong seal mark and of the period, which was sold at Christie's New York, 24 March 2011, lot 1144.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 RARE PAIR OF PORCELAIN MODELS OF DEERQianlongEach gracefully modelled standing four-square with their heads tilted in calm and gentle expressions slightly to the side, with pricked ears behind curved and branched antlers above almond-shaped eyes, naturalistically decorated with spotted yellow fur, the meticulously painted hairs further detailed with white down on the breast, the hooves enamelled black, fitted wood stands. 28cm (11in) high. (2).Footnotes:清乾隆 粉彩鹿形擺件一對Provenance: a British private collection, with the family prior to 1917, and thence by descent來源：英國私人收藏，由家族成員在1917年前獲得，並由後人保存迄今Deer have long been a symbol of longevity, wealth, and grace in traditional Chinese culture, since the character for deer (lu 鹿) is a homophone for emoluments (lu 祿). Deer are also frequently depicted beside Shoulao, the God of Longevity, and have thus come to represent longevity too.Due to the recurring difficulties in creating porcelain animals standing on four thin legs, deer were normally modelled in seated or recumbent positions. Far fewer free-standing versions of porcelain deer appear to be preserved. See, for example, two larger porcelain models of deer, circa 1750 and 18th/early 19th century, in the Peabody Essex Museum, Salem MA, illustrated by W.R.Sargent, The Copeland Collection. Chinese and Japanese Ceramic Figures, Salem MA, 1991, nos.72 and 104.It has been suggested that porcelain models of deer and cranes, were intended for for the Imperial Court rather than for export. Fragments of discarded porcelain models of deer still unpainted, have been found at the Qing Imperial kiln sites at Jingdezhen, see Wang Guangyao, 'Cong Gugong cang Qingdai zhi ci guanyang kan Zhongguo gudai guanyang zhidu. Qingdai yuyaochang yanjiu zhi er', Gugong Bowuyuan yuankan/Palace Museum Journal, no.6, 2006, p.19, fig.15 (fig.2).Compare with a related model of a standing deer, Qianlong, which was sold at Sotheby's London, 12 May 2021, lot 55. See also a related but smaller porcelain model of a recumbent stag, Qianlong, which was sold at Christie's New York, 23 October 2022, lot 596.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A RARE PAIR OF 'ROYAL ARMS OF FRANCE' CUP-COOLERSKangxiEach of cylindrical form with straight sides, finely enamelled with the Royal arms of Louis XV within the orders of Saint-Michel and Saint-Esprit, a band of gilt and iron-red scrolling lotus punctuated by cartouches of addorsed L's at the mouth rim, the exterior with further sprays of pomegranates, flowers and fruits, flanked by a pair of mythical beast-head handles. Each, 16.5cm (6 1/2in) wide. (2).Footnotes:清康熙 青花礬紅描金法國王室冷酒器一對Provenance: an Irish private collection, and thence by descent來源：愛爾蘭私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今Commissioned for King Louis XV (1710-1774), who succeeded his great grandfather to the throne in 1715, the present lot is extremely rare. Chinese export porcelain made for the French nobility and Royal Court is relatively unusual compared with the large number of services specially ordered with English coats of arms. In the early eighteenth century in France, only the French Court and noble families of Brittany with trade contracts were able to commission Chinese services. This rare wine cooler bears the Royal arms of France encircled by the chains of the orders of the Holy Ghost and of Saint Michael.The elaborate service of which the present lot was a part, included a wide variety of diverse forms such as candlesticks, spice canisters, tripod bowls, shell-shaped tureens and knife handles. Finely painted in underglaze blue, iron red, black and blue enamels and gilt, the quality of the decoration on this lot gives an indication of the visual impact of the entire service. See a very similar French Royal armorial wine cooler, Kangxi, illustrated by The Chinese Porcelain Company, Important Chinese Export Porcelain from Kangxi to Jiaqing, New York, 1999, pp.34-35, and also the front cover. See a saucer-dish from the same service, Kangxi, illustrated by D.S.Howard, The Choice of the Private Trader: The Private Market in Chinese Export Porcelain illustrated from the Hodroff Collection, Minneapolis, 1994, p.51, no.21. A tureen and cover with the French Royal arms, circa 1725-1730, also from the Hodroff collection, was sold at Christie's New York, 21 January 2009, lot 266. Another piece from the service is in the Musee National des Arts Asiatiques-Guimet, Paris, illustrated by M.Crick, 'Trade with France', Oriental Art, vol.XLV, no.1, 1999, p.57, fig.10. Similar designs with the Arms of France also appeared on services for Philip d'Orleans, who served as Regent from 1715-1723. See for example, a baluster vase with similar French Royal arms but with denser floral groups, illustrated by J.Ayers, Chinese and Japanese Works of Art in the Collection of Her Majesty the Queen, vol.I, London, 2016, pp.268-269, no.560.See a large French Royal wine cooler from the Benjamin F. Edwards III Collection, which was sold at Christie's, New York, 22 January 2003, lot 73. A tripartite spice box and cover was sold Christie's New York, 14 October 1999, lot 114 and tureens were sold at Sotheby's Monaco, 23 June 1986, lot 1181. See also a large French Royal armorial dish, circa 1725-1730, which was sold at Christie's New York, 26 January 2015, lot 72. A massive pair of French Royal armorial dishes, Yongzheng, was sold at Christie's New York, 17 January 2019, lot 389.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 PALE GREEN JADE 'MYTHICAL BEAST' WATER DROPPER AND COVERMing Dynasty Finely carved as a crouching mythical beast with ears and horns flicking back as though preparing to pounce on its prey, rendered with an elongated torso flanked by a flame-like tendrils, terminating in a bifurcated tail with curling ends, flanked by three sinuous chilong clambering to his sides and over the cover on his back, the interior well hollowed, holding a round bowl in his mouth, the stone of even pale green tone with cloudy inclusions. 15cm (6in) wide. (2).Footnotes:明 青玉雕瑞獸硯滴帶蓋Provenance: a European private collection, and thence by descent來源：歐洲私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今The form of the present vessel is based on archaic bronzes of the Han or Six Dynasties period. See a bronze water dropper shaped as a mythical beast and holding a bowl in his mouth, 4th - 6th century AD, in the collection of the Shanghai Museum, illustrated in The Chinese Scholar's Studio. Artistic Life in the Late Ming Period, New York, 1987, no.86.Compare with a related grey jade bixie form water dropper, Ming dynasty or earlier, illustrated by J.Rawson and J.Ayers, Chinese Jade Through the Ages, London, 1975, no.338. See also two related pale green jade mythical beast waterpots, Ming dynasty, illustrated in The Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade, vol.6, Beijing, 2011, nos.74-75. A related pale green jade 'mythical beast' waterpot, Ming dynasty, was sold at Bonhams, 11 May 2021, lot 128.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 RARE WHITE JADE GROUP OF JIGONG17th/18th century The figure standing barefoot with his left knee raised, the face with a joyful expression beneath a pointed cap, clad in loose robes and wide trousers, carrying a male figure with hair tied in a flat chignon and holding whisk on his back, the jade of even white tone. 7cm (2 6/8in) high.Footnotes:十七/十八世紀 白玉濟公把件Provenance: a European private collection, and thence by descent來源：歐洲私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今The figure's distinctive headdress marks him out at the monk Jigong, or Chan Master Daoji. He purportedly possessed supernatural powers through Daoist practices, which he used to help the poor and stand up to injustice. However, he was also known for his wild and eccentric behaviour.See a related white and russet jade carving of Jigong, 18th/19th century, which was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 28 May 2014, lot 3572.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 RARE MING-STYLE BLUE AND WHITE LOTUS-SCROLL BOTTLE VASEQianlong seal mark and of the period The finely potted globular body rising from a short spreading foot to a tall elegant waisted neck, painted in rich 'heaped and piled' cobalt-blue tones with a composite flower scroll band, all between lotus lappet and 'classic' scroll bands at the base and a ruyi band at the shoulder, the neck with stiff leaf and key-fret bands below a wave band at the rim. 38.3cm (15 1/8in) high.Footnotes:清乾隆 青花纏枝蓮紋賞瓶青花「大清乾隆年製」篆書款Provenance: Dorothy Joan (née Murphy) (1918-1989) and Roland Milton (1917-1990), UK, who were gifted the vase on their wedding in May 1945, and thence by descent來源：Dorothy Joan (née Murphy)(1918-1989) 和 Roland Milton (1917-1990)，英國，在 1945年5月的婚禮上被贈予此瓶，並由後人保存迄今Elegantly decorated with designs drawn from the repertoire employed during the early phases of the Ming dynasty, the craftsman of this vase also sought to imitate the 'heaping and piling' effect of the celebrated 15th century blue and white wares through a deliberate application of darker and denser spots of cobalt on the design. Compare with a related blue and white vase, Qianlong seal mark and of the period, in the collection of the Nanjing Museum, illustrated in Treasures of the Royalty: The Official Kiln Porcelain of the Chinese Qing Dynasty, Shanghai, 2003, pl.233; see also another blue and white vase, with Qianlong seal mark, in the Shanghai Museum, illustrated in The Complete Series on Chinese ceramics, Shanghai, 2000, vol.15, pl.2; see also four related blue and white vases, Qianlong seal marks and period, illustrated by R.Krahl, Chinese Ceramics in the Topkapi Saray Museum, vol.3, London, 1996, pl.2564.Compare with a similar blue and white vase, Qianlong seal mark and of the period, which was sold at Sotheby's New York, 17 March 2021, lot 147.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A RARE MING-STYLE BLUE AND WHITE LOTUS-SCROLL BOTTLE VASEQianlong seal mark and of the periodThe globular body painted in rich cobalt-blue with a wide band of scrolling lotus above a collar of upright lappets, the spreading foot encircled by a classic scroll, the shoulder with further lotus, ruyi and key-fret bands, the tall waisted neck with upright leaves below a ruyi band and wave band at the rim.37.5cm (14 3/4in) high. Footnotes:清乾隆 青花纏枝蓮紋賞瓶青花「大清乾隆年製」篆書款Provenance: an English private collection來源：英國私人收藏The present lot is decorated with early Ming dynasty-inspired motifs. Furthermore, the potter of this vase also imitated the mottled 'heaping and piling' effect of the celebrated early Ming blue and white wares through a deliberate application of darker and denser spots of cobalt. A related blue and white vase, Qianlong seal mark and of the period, is in the Nanjing Museum and illustrated in Treasures of the Royalty: The Official Kiln Porcelain of the Chinese Qing Dynasty, Shanghai, 2003, p.233. Four similar blue and white vases, Qianlong seal marks and of the period, are illustrated by R.Krahl, Chinese Ceramics in the Topkapi Saray Museum, vol.III, London, 1996, pl.2564.Compare also with a very similar blue and white vase, Qianlong seal mark and of the period, which was sold at Sotheby's New York, 17 March 2021, lot 147.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A RARE IMPERIAL MIDNIGHT-BLUE-GROUND 'DRAGON ROUNDEL' EMBROIDERED ROBECirca 1870Meticulously worked on the front and back in satin stitch and couched gold threads with eight roundels each enclosing a writhing, five-clawed dragon clutching or pursuing the flaming pearl amidst dense trailing scrolls of ruyi clouds interspersed with bats and the eight Auspicious Emblems, all above the terrestrial diagram and lishui stripe at the hem, picked out in vibrant shades of blue, purple, yellow, red, coral and green, the matching dark-blue-ground collar and cuffs worked with further dragons amidst further bats, clouds and waves, lined in blue silk.130.5cm (51 3/8in) long.Footnotes:約1870年 御製石青緞繡八團五爪龍紋袍Provenance: a distinguished Hong Kong private collection來源：香港顯赫私人收藏Delicately embroidered with eight roundels, each enclosing a five-clawed dragons clutching, as opposed to chasing, the flaming pearls of wisdom, the present robe is exceptionally rare and would have been worn by one the highest-ranking female members of the Qing Court.Robes decorated with roundels of dragons on a plain ground are very rare and represent the second of three styles of jifu attire, the first being the more common robes fully embroidered with dragons, clouds, flames and auspicious symbols, whilst the third consisting of garments decorated with dragon roundels but lacking the lishui stripe. The 'Illustrated Regulations for the Ritual Paraphernalia of the Imperial Court' Huangchao liqi tushi皇朝禮器圖式, edited in 1759, confirmed the importance of a new type of robe, the jifu or longpao, as semi-formal court wear and brought the cosmic purpose of Imperial rule into sharp focus. The careful arrangement of sinuous dragons writhing amid clouds and above the universal ocean washing against the earth mountain, embodied royalty and dominion and expressed the visual metaphor of the good ruler who behaved wisely for the well being of his subjects. Capable of flying high in the sky and diving back into the sea, dragons were regarded as intermediaries between Heaven and Earth and credited with extraordinary powers that compared to those of the emperor. Dragons thus transcended the political and ethnic priorities of Imperial government to become universal symbols of the empire. 'Dragon' robes became supreme significant social markers representing access to power. The right to wear such garments depended on rank and status. The Manchu rulers of the Qing dynasty were keen on projecting an evocative and powerful image of themselves, and their court costumes conveyed legitimacy and heritage. Despite their initial reluctance to wear the same type of robes as their Ming predecessors, by the reign of the Kangxi emperor, the Manchu elites were keen wearers of richly-ornamented 'dragon' robes on semi-formal court occasions and official duties. Compare with a related yellow-ground silk robe, mid-19th century, in the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Art, illustrated by R.D.Jacobsen, Imperial Silks. Ch'ing Dynasty Textiles in the Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, vol.1, 2000, p.65, no.3.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A PARCEL-GILT-BRONZE 'MYTHICAL BEASTS' VASE, GU17th centuryFinely cast with a globular body rising from a spreading foot to a tall flaring neck, decorated around the exterior in medium relief with a continuous scene of various mythical animals amidst crashing waves highlighted in gilt. 19cm (7 1/2in) high. Footnotes:十七世紀 銅局部鎏金海瑞獸紋花觚The present lot is remarkable for the range and diversity of the mythical creatures depicted. The design harks back to earlier related depictions during the Ming dynasty: see for example a blue and white bowl, Xuande, with similar decoration of mythical creatures over waves, illustrated by Chen Ching-kuang, 'Sea Creatures on Ming Imperial Porcelain', The Porcelains of Jingdezhen, London, 1993, pl.1, where it is suggested that this motif may be related to the auspicious creatures described in the Shanhai jing (山海經), a mythical geography of China and the known world, dated to the Eastern Zhou/Han dynasty. It is possible that such designs were inspired by woodblock illustrations from this classic. Although bronze vases of this type are rare, similar decoration can be seen on blue and white porcelain; see for example a blue and white bowl, Wanli, with similar decoration of mythical beasts on water, in the Shanghai Museum and illustrated by Lu Minghua, Qingdai guanyao ciqi, Shanghai 2007, pl.1-83.Compare with a related parcel-gilt bronze vase, 16th/17th century, but decorated with various scholarly objects, illustrated by Sydney L.Moss Ltd., The Second Bronze Age: Later Chinese Metalwork, Hong Kong, 1991, no.92.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A LARGE AND VERY RARE ARCHAIC JADE 'BUFFALO' CARVINGLate Shang DynastyThickly carved with a central aperture, each side incised with bovine taotie masks formed by a tapering nose underneath two slanted eyes and a pair of horns above a grooved channel, the stone of pale green tone with russet and milky-white inclusions. 5.4cm (2 1/8in) high. Footnotes:商晚期 饕餮紋玉牛首把件Provenance: Prof. Cheng Te-k'un (1908-2001), Cambridge (the Mu-Fei collection)Bluett & Sons Ltd., LondonA British private collectionPublished, Illustrated and Exhibited: Bluett & Sons Ltd., Chinese Jades from the Mu-Fei Collection, London, 1990, no.16來源：鄭德坤（1908-2001）教授舊藏，劍橋（木扉舊藏）倫敦古董商Bluett & Sons Ltd.英國私人收藏展覽著錄： Bluett & Sons Ltd.，《木扉珍藏玉器》，倫敦，1990年， 編號16Compare with a related archaic jade 'mask' bead, Shang dynasty, illustrated in the Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum, Beijing, 2011, p.156, no.165. See also a related smaller jade bead carved with the head of an animal, Shang dynasty, illustrated by J.Rawson, Chinese Jade: from the Neolithic to the Qing, London, 1995, p.239, no.14:2, which was later sold at Sotheby's London, 8 December 2022, lot 156. Compare also a related jade Buffalo head, carved in the round, Shang dynasty, in the Harvard Art Museums (acc.no.1943.50.465), illustrated by M.Loehr and L.G.Fitzgerald Huber, Ancient Chinese Jades from the Grenville L. Winthrop Collection in the Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 1975, p.127, no.155. See also a related jade bovine carved bead, Shang dynasty, in the Art Institute Chicago (acc.no.1950.272).See also a related but smaller dark grey-green jade 'bovine' bead, late Shang dynasty, which was sold at Christie's London, 3 November 2020.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A HUANGHUALI INCENSE STAND, XIANGJI17th/18th century or laterThe stand with a square panelled top fitted with 'ice-plate' edge above a narrow waist above cabriole legs terminating in square feet with trefoil designs carved in high relief, decorated with carved and inlaid mother of pearl designs, the top edges with sequences of wispy clouds, the waist with flowering lotus issuing acanthus leaves, the apron with pairs of confronted chilong enclosing lotus blossoms within ruyi borders, the legs with further chilong interspersed with ruyi clouds, the wood of an attractive blondish hue. 89cm (35in) high x 51cm (19 3/4in) length x 51cm (19 3/4in) deep. Footnotes:十七/十八世紀或以後 黃花梨有束腰嵌螺鈿龍紋香几The present lot appears to be rare in its combination of elegant freestanding cabriole legs and the use of both carved and elaborate mother-of-pearl-inlaid decoration.Known as xiangji, incense stands count amongst the rarest types of furniture originating during the Ming dynasty. They were made square, rectangular, octagonal, lobed or even circular. Their function was for displaying a rock sculpture, a fragrant bonsai (miniature plant), a flower vase or an incense burner, as recorded by Gao Lian in 'Eight Discourses on the Art of Living' Zunsheng Ba Jian, compiled in 1591. Incense and other aromatics have been burned in Chinese culture since the Han dynasty and were used for both, secular and religious purposes. Incense burners were not only used to burn incense as they could hold a variety of aromatic substances that slowly released their scent. Censers and their stands would be placed in Imperial offices, private residences but could also be placed in places of worship or used outdoors, as shown in woodblock illustrations of the Ming dynasty. Incense stands were thus a standard piece within Chinese furniture for any individual who could afford luxury goods; see Wang Shixiang, Connoisseurship of Chinese Furniture: Ming and Early Qing Dynasties, Hong Kong, 1990, vol.1, pp.52-54, for further discussion on the use and shape of incense stands.Compare with a related huanghuali incense stand, 17th century, also displaying freestanding cabriole legs, late Ming/early Qing dynasty, which was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 3 December 2021, lot 3031.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TP YTP For auctions held in Scotland: Lots will be moved to an offsite storage location (Constantine, Constantine House, North Caldeen Road, Coatbridge ML5 4EF, Scotland, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please refer to the catalogue for further information.For all other auctions: Lots 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 PALE GREEN AND RUSSET JADE 'PHOENIX' FINIALWarring States PeriodThe cylindrical finial with scrolling motifs, attached to a jade phoenix, its upswept wings atop square-sectioned socket finial, the stone of pale green tone. 9cm (3 9/16in) high.Footnotes:戰國 鳳凰形玉飾 Provenance: a British private collection來源：英國私人收藏The present finial shares close similarities with the style of jade carvings produced during the Eastern Zhou period in Henan Province. See, for example, a jade handle decorated with a feline, 4rd-3rd century BC, from the Freer Gallery, Washington, which displays similar 'C' scrolls and sinuous creatures carved along the sides of the main shaft, illustrated by J.Rawson, Chinese Jades from the Neolithic to the Qing, London, p.276, fig.1.Compare with a similar rare jade tube-shaped pendant, late Warring States period, which was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 3 December 2021, lot 2751.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A VERY RARE ARCHAIC JADE 'DRAGON AND FIGURE' PENDANT, XIWarring States/Western Han DynastyMeticulously carved with an intricate reticulated design of a stylised dragon with open jaws and round eyes, a sinuous body and a long tail, surmounted by a figure atop the dragon's head, the calcified stone of buff colour. 11.2cm (4 1/2in) long.Footnotes:戰國/西漢 仙官馭龍玉觽Provenance: The Idemitsu Collection, TokyoRoger Keverne Ltd., LondonA British private collection, acquired from the above on 25 April 2006Published, Illustrated and Exhibited: Roger Keverne Ltd., Summer Exhibition, London, 2004, no.69來源：東京出光美術館舊藏倫敦古董商 Roger Keverne Ltd.英國私人收藏，2006年4月25日從上處購得展覽著錄：Roger Keverne Ltd.，《夏季展覽》，倫敦，2004年，編號69The dragon-shaped arched fang-shaped pendant, which was likely made to be used as a knot-loosener. Xi pendants were usually made as pairs and buried in tombs. While the examples dated to the Spring and Autumn period resembled the shape of an animal's tooth or fang, the pendants made during the Warring States period were usually more slender in form. See a related jade xi, with dragon head, Warring States period, illustrated in the Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum, Jade, vol.3, Beijing, 2011, p.76, no.73. See also a jade phoenix shaped xi, Eastern Han dynasty, illustrated by A.Forsyth and B.McElney, Jades from China, Bath, 1994, p.256, no.156. Compare with a pair of related jade 'dragon' xi, late Warring States/early Western Han dynasty, which were sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 29 November 2017, lot 2772.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A MAGNIFICENT GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHAYongle incised six-character mark and of the periodSuperbly cast seated in dhyanasan with hands in bhumisparsa and dhyana mudras, wearing a simple dhoti leaving the right shoulder bare and cascading into elegant folds before the incised six-character mark reading 'Da Ming Yongle nian shi', the face with crisp features and contemplative expression, flanked by large ears with pendant pierced lobes, the hair tightly coiled and piled onto the high usnisa, resting on a double-lotus pedestal, liberally gilded overall, the base sealed and decorated with a double vajra. 21cm (8 2/8in) high.Footnotes:明永樂 銅鎏金釋迦牟尼佛坐像「大明永樂年施」款Provenance: Henrik Valdemar Jacobsen (1887-1955), Harbin, China and Hellerup, Denmark, and thence by descent來源：雅國先 (1887-1955)，曾居中國哈爾濱和丹麥赫勒烏浦，並由後人保存迄今Henrik Valdemar Jacobsen served as the Consul of Denmark in Harbin, China 1919-1930. He was in Harbin in 1911 with the Danish East Asiatic Company (宝隆洋行), and was then appointed its manager, North East China, from 1917-1930, developing the company's trade in soy beans. On his return to Copenhagen, Denmark, he served as Managing Director from 1932-1952.This important gilt-bronze figure of Buddha, Yongle mark and period, was collected by Jacobsen during his work in China, amongst other objects which adorned his family home in Harbin and later in Hellerup, Denmark as can be seen in an old family photograph.The present magnificent gilt-bronze figure of Shakyamuni Buddha is amongst the very finest ever made during the Yongle period. For nearly a century it has remained with the same Danish family, and it is offered here for the first time since it left China prior to 1932.Emperors during the early Ming dynasty lavishly patronised Buddhism. The Hongwu emperor was a monk between the ages of about seventeen and twenty-four, and the Yongle and Xuande emperors continued to promote Tibetan Buddhism, also as means of extending their power and sphere of influence. The Yongle emperor welcomed Tibetan guests with great ceremony and gifts, and sent Imperial delegations to Tibet as early as 1403. In doing so he was recalling Kublai Khan's famous patron-priest relationship with his Tibetan Imperial Preceptor ʼPhags-pa (1235-1280), casting himself in the role of the Mongol Khan's spiritual heir and inheritor of Mongol political hegemony. Artisans from Tibet are believed to have remained in Beijing after the fall of the Yuan dynasty and continued to serve in the Ming Imperial Workshops, with frequent exchanges of sculptures and gifts between the Ming Court and Tibetan hierarchs and monasteries. Strong influence was exerted by the monk Daoyan (Yao Guangxiao) (1335-1418), who met Prince Yan, the future Yongle emperor, at the funeral of his mother the empress in Nanjing, and then travelled with him to his fiefdom in Beijing. Later he became a key military, political and religious adviser to the future Yongle emperor. Daoyan's influence continued in assisting Prince Yan to capture the throne from the Jianwen emperor in 1402. Therefore, the receipt of favourable omens and portents from Tibetan lamas and their blessings, served to strengthen the legitimacy of the Ming rule and its Mandate from Heaven, and particularly that of the Yongle emperor.The genius of Yongle period Buddhist sculpture is its ability to codify Imperial power, artistic creativity and religious authority within a single work of art. In the present lot these three elements exist on a scale that is both personal and intimate. The iconographic form of Shakyamuni Buddha represented here is rare among the corpus of surviving Yongle sculpture. Monumental examples include a complete shrine in the collection of the British Museum, published by W.Zwalf, ed., Buddhism: Art and Faith, London, 1985, no.305, (59cm) and another from the Speelman collection, which was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 7 October 2006, lot 808 (72.5cm). Such works were part of a large-scale project of monastic patronage by the Yongle emperor, which included the construction, between 1412 and 1418, of the gilt bronze Golden Hall in the Palace of Supreme Harmony on Mount Wudang. The present example represents the historical Shakyamuni Buddha and commemorates the defeat of Mara at Bodhgaya, one of the 'Eight Great Places' of Buddhist pilgrimage. A small number of more intimately conceived pieces, range between approximately 15 and 28cm in height, perfectly encapsulating the essence of the monumental works. Every naturalistic detail has been painstakingly cast from the drape of the cloth to the poise of the fingers, the quintessential broad shoulders, powerful torsos, long legs and curly hair gathered in a pointed topknot.Recorded examples of similar-sized gilt bronze figures of Shakyamuni Buddha, Yongle mark and period are exceptionally rare and include the following: the first, published by U.von Schroeder, Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet, Hong Kong, 2001, vol.II, pl.358A, (19.4cm); the second is illustrated by U.von Schroeder, Indo-Tibetan Bronzes, Hong Kong, 1981, pl.146D (19cm) and was sold by Christie's London, 6 May 1975, lot 32; the third figure was sold by Christie's New York, 21 March 2001, lot 85 (19.7cm high); the fourth figure from the collection of Tuyet Nguyet and Stephen Markbreiter, was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 7 October 2010, lot 2142 (21.2cm high); and the fifth and most recent example, is a figure of Shakyamuni Buddha, which was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong on 3 October 2017, lot 3143 (20.2cm high). For another very similar example but with slightly different lotus lappets, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, see Splendors from The Yongle and Xuande Reigns of China's Ming Dynasty: Selected Artefacts, Beijing, 2010, p.244, no.118 (22cm high). 早在1911年，雅國先就随着丹麦跨国公司宝隆洋行的业务扩展来到了哈爾濱。他在1917-1930年间被委任为該洋行的中国东北地区经理，主力拓展公司的大豆业务，並在1919-1930年間兼任丹麥駐哈爾濱領事。在回到哥本哈根後，他繼續在寶隆洋行工作並在1932至1952年間出任行政總裁。 這尊珍罕永樂款銅鎏金佛像即為雅國先在中國時所入藏。同時進入其收藏的還有在其家庭老照片中可見，裝點於他在哈爾濱及丹麥赫勒烏浦家中各處的精美器物。 此像所刻畫者為佛陀釋迦牟尼，為永樂年製傳世佛像中之佼佼者。在過去近一世紀內，該像一直為雅國先家族所珍藏。此次現身拍場，實為其自1932年前離開中國後之首次亮相。 明初皇帝均大興佛教，供養不輟。洪武皇帝本人在19歲至24歲間曾出家侍佛，而永樂和宣德二帝則扶持藏傳佛教，並以此作為擴展帝國勢力及影響力的手段之一。永樂帝早在1403年就已遣使入藏，並數次迎請藏僧入朝說法且對其賞賜無數。如此一來，他便可效仿忽必烈以法王八思巴（1235-1280）為帝師之舉，將自己塑造成蒙古諸汗的精神傳人及元蒙政權理所當然的繼承者了。而從明皇室與藏區政教首領及寺廟之間頻繁的造像及禮物交換來看，相信的確有不少來自西藏的工匠在元代覆亡後依然留在北京，並繼續在明代的御作坊中工作。 在明初的政治局勢中，僧人道衍（姚廣孝，1335-1418）也是舉足輕重的人物之一。他在高皇后的葬儀法事上與其子燕王（即後來的永樂帝朱棣）相識並相談甚歡，後更隨後者入燕，成為朱棣在軍事、政治和宗教上的重要幕僚。1402年時，道衍亦參與到靖難之變中，助燕王從建文帝手中篡得帝位。因此，來自藏傳佛教高僧的預言及祝禱一直是明代統治合法性及其「天命所歸」的重要論述基礎，尤其是對永樂帝而言。 永樂年間佛教造像的精華之處，尤在於其融皇權之尊貴、藝術的創造性，及宗教之威嚴於一體。在本拍品上，這三種元素亦緊密結合，表露無遺。 本拍品上所呈現之釋迦牟尼形象在傳世永樂造像中十分罕見。一些較大型的例子可見於大英博物館所藏的一座完整的佛龕，見W.Zwalf所編Buddhism: Art and Faith，倫敦，1985年，編號305（59cm），以及2006年10月7日香港蘇富比以編號808售出的一件原Speelman藏佛像（72.5cm）。這類造像多用於永樂帝大興土木所建造的佛寺中，其中一所即為建於1412至1418年間的武當山太和宮銅鎏金金殿。而本拍品所刻畫的則為釋迦牟尼佛在佛教八大聖地之一菩提伽耶（Bodhgaya）結觸地印斥退摩羅（Mara）群魔，終證悟成道之情境。 如本拍品一般精巧，高度在15至28釐米之間的作品為數不多，但它們蘊含的細節及表現的氣韻卻與大型作品不遑多讓。從垂墜衣紋到精細的手部姿態，從典型的寬闊肩部到健美的身軀，還有修長雙腿以及捲髮頂髻，所有寫實細節均由精妙鑄工一一呈現。 目前可見與本拍品尺寸相類之永樂款鎏金釋迦牟尼像且有著錄者僅有數例。其一收錄於U. von Schroeder著Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet （西藏佛教雕塑），香港，2001，卷二，圖版358A（高19.4 cm）。其二可見於U. von Schroeder著Indo-Tibetan Bronzes（印度西藏青銅器），香港，1981年，圖版146D（高19 cm）。該像於1975年5月6日以編號32為倫敦佳士得售出。其三則為紐約佳士得於2002年3月21日所售，編號85（高19.7 cm）。其四為雪月舊藏（Collection of Tuyet Nguyet and Stephen Markbreiter），於2010年10月7日為香港蘇富比所售，編號2141（高21.2 cm）。第五例，亦即最近拍場可見的一例，為香港蘇富比於2017年10月3日售出的明永樂鎏金銅釋迦牟尼佛坐像（高20.2 cm），編號3143。北京故宮博物院亦藏有一例（高22 cm），雖蓮座稍有不同但亦可資比對，見《明永樂宣德文物圖典》，北京，2010年，頁244，編號118。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 ARCHAIC BRONZE RITUAL FOOD TRIPOD VESSEL, LIEarly Western Zhou DynastyWell cast raised on three legs swelling into three lobes of the body, a band of C-scrolls and taotie masks below the gently flared rim applied with a pair of bail handles, cast with two pictograms [▢] and 鬲 (li). 17cm (6 3/4in) high.Footnotes:西周早期 饕餮紋青铜鬲Provenance: Rong Hou 榮厚(1874-?), Minister of Finance of the North eastern Provinces, China, and the first president of the Central Bank of the Manchukuo, prior to 1947Sir Michael Oppenheimer (3rd Baronet, 1924-2020) and Lady Helen Oppenheimer DD (1926-2022), and thence by descentPublished and Illustrated: Umerhara Sueji, Illustrated Catalogue of Bronzes in the Kanka Mansion, Kyoto, 1947, vol.1, p.40.來源：榮厚（1874-？）歷任東北諸省財政廳廳長，滿洲國時期，在1947年前，任滿洲中央銀行首任總裁Michael Oppenheimer 爵士（三代從男爵，1924-2020年）與Helen Oppenheimer DD女士（1926-2022年）舊藏，並由後人保存迄今著錄：梅原末治，《冠斝樓吉金圖》, 東京，1947年，第一冊，第40頁 Rong Hou (also known as Jung Hou, 1874-.?), was Minister of Finance of the North eastern Provinces during the early period of the Republic of China, and the first president of the Central Bank of the Manchukuo (1932-1945). He was a well-known collector of early Chinese bronzes, and 169 pieces of his bronze collection were researched by the Japanese archaeologist Umehara Sueji and published in 1947 in four volumes of catalogues, known as Guan jia lou ji jin tu ('Images of bronzes in Guanjialou').The collection belonged to Sir Michael and Lady Oppenheimer DD (3rd Baronet, 1924-2020). Sir Michael's maternal grandparents were Sir Robert Grenville Harvey, 2nd Baronet (1856-1931) and Lady Emily Blanche Harvey (1872-1935) of Langley Park, Buckinghamshire. The Chinese art collection can be, at least in part, traced back to Langley Park, Buckinghamshire, home to the Harvey Baronets from 1788 until 1945.Sir Michael Oppenheimer's paternal family was the well-known South African mining family. The baronetcy was created in 1921 for Bernard Oppenheimer, Chairman of the South African Diamond Corporation for setting up diamond sorting factories to employ wounded ex-servicemen after the First World War. The family has been involved with De Beers over many decades. Lady Oppenheimer DD (1926-2022) was a distinguished moral and philosophical theologian, with a particular interest in the ethics pertaining to personal relationships.Ritual bronze vessels such as the present lot were among the most highly prized and technically sophisticated objects manufactured in early China. Reserved for use by the most powerful families of the time, they carried the offerings presented to the ancestors during the performance of rituals.These vessels were often cast with inscriptions which recorded the land and regional affiliations of the ancestors and their wider family. Honoured and commemorated through the use of these precious vessels, the ancestral spirits were thought to confer blessings on their descendants while at the same time, the use of the vessel displayed to the living the power and wealth of their owners.A related bronze ritual vessel, ding, Shang dynasty, decorated with similar designs as the present example, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, is illustrated in A Catalogue of Shang Dynasty Bronze Inscriptions, Taipei, 1995, pp.36-37. See also a similar liding, Western Zhou dynasty, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Bronzes Unearthed in China 中國出土青銅器全集, vol.3 (Shanxi), Beijing, 2009, no.140.Compare with a related bronze vessel ding, Late Shang/Early Western Zhou dynasty, featuring a similar decorative band beneath the mouth rim, which was sold at Bonhams London, 5 November 2020, lot 1. See also a slightly larger archaic bronze ding, Western Zhou dynasty, which was sold at Christie's New York, 4 March 2011, lot 1246. See also another bronze ding, late Shang dynasty, which was sold at Christie's New York, 21-22 March 2013, lot 1216.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 RARE HUANGHUALI FLAT-TOP RECESSED-LEG TABLE, PINGTOU'AN17th centuryThe long single-panel top set within a wide frame with 'ice-plate' edge, supported on robust recessed legs of round section joined by a plain apron and rounded rectangular spandrels, the sides with double oval-section stretchers joining the front and back legs, the precious wood of warm honey tone throughout. 171cm (67 1/2in) long x 83cm (32 6/8in) high x 53cm (20 1/8in) deep.Footnotes:十七世紀 黃花梨平頭案Provenance: an important European private collection, and thence by descent來源：歐洲重要私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今The simple yet elegant form of the present table is one of the most successful and recognisable designs of classical Chinese furniture, one that best epitomises a Chinese scholar's fondness for unassuming and functional furniture.The particularly fine grain and the rich honey-colour tone of the huanghuali timber, and the elegantly-finished surfaces of the present lot, show that it would have been made for a high-rank official or scholar.The basic proportions were adaptable to make large and smaller tables, benches and stools. This iconic Ming design is referred to in the 'Classic of Lu Ban' Lu Ban Jing, a carpentry manual dating to the early Ming dynasty, as a 'Character One Table' due to its similarity in profile to the single horizontal stroke of the Chinese character for the number one; see C.Clunas, Chinese Furniture, London, 1988, p.47.Incorporating a single-panel top of lustrous huanghuali, which would have been precious even during the 17th century, the present table is an example of the narrow version of this particular form. It would have been used in domestic as well as religious contexts and would most likely have been placed against a wall to display ornamental objects or support ceremonial offerings. For a further discussion regarding the importance of Chinese side tables and altar tables, see S.Handler, Austere Luminosity of Chinese Classical Furniture, Berkeley, 2001, pp.224-238. For a similar huanghuali recessed-leg table, 17th century, see Wang Shixiang, Connoisseurship of Chinese Furniture, Hong Kong, 1990, vol.2, p.96, no.B81. See also a huanghuali painting table, 17th century, in the Victoria and Albert Museum, illustrated by C.Clunas, Chinese Furniture, London, 1988, p.46. Another similar example of a huanghuali pingtou'an, 17th century, was sold at Christie's London, 10 November 2015, lot 380; a further example, 17th/18th century, was sold at Bonhams New York, 20 March 2023, lot 84.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TP YTP For auctions held in Scotland: Lots will be moved to an offsite storage location (Constantine, Constantine House, North Caldeen Road, Coatbridge ML5 4EF, Scotland, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please refer to the catalogue for further information.For all other auctions: Lots 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 MINIATURE HUANGHUALI TWO-TIERED PICNIC BOX, TIHE17th/18th centuryThe box gracefully proportioned, comprising a cover and two deep trays set on a base frame supporting a rectangular handle flanked on the sides by standing spandrels, the handle and frame reinforced with metal mounts. 18cm (7in) long x 13.5cm (5 1/2in) high x 11.5cm (4 1/2in) deep.Footnotes:十七/十八世紀 黃花梨袖珍雙層提盒Provenance: Christie's New York, The Flack Family Collection: A Very Personal Selection, 16 September 2016, lot 1104An important European private collection, and thence by descent Published and Illustrated: MD Flacks Ltd., Classical Chinese Furniture I, New York, Spring 1997, p.31, no.16.來源：紐約佳士得，2016年9月16日，「擇善藏私 ─ 弗拉克斯家族珍藏」專場，拍品編號1104歐洲重要私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今出版著錄：MD Flacks Ltd.，《Classical Chinese Furniture》卷一，紐約，1997年春，頁31，編號16Made of rich and dense huanghuali, the present picnic box is a classic form which has been constructed in an unusually small and graceful size. The shape of tiered boxes appears to have remained unchanged since at least the Song dynasty (AD 960-1279), when they were, however, larger and probably made of bamboo or soft woods, used to transport food and wine. An illustration from 'The Golden Lotus' Jin Ping Mei, Ming dynasty, in the National Museum of History, Taipei, depicts a man carrying a sack across one shoulder and a picnic box in his right hand; see Wang Shixiang, Connoisseurship of Chinese Furniture, vol.1, Hong Kong, 2016, pp.95-96.By the Ming dynasty, tiered boxes started to be made in smaller sizes and could be easily carried in one hand. These smallest versions, such as the present example, were generally made of valuable precious hardwoods, such as huanghuali and zitan, and usually employed to carry small valuable objects. This is reinforced by the presence of a lock mechanism securing the lid to the sides of the handle, rendering the box trays inaccessible.Compare with a similar but larger huanghuali two-tiered box, Ming dynasty, illustrated by G.Wu, Living with Ming. The Lu Ming Shi Collection, Hong Kong, 2000, p.203, no.65.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: YY Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A VERY RARE HUANGHUALI RECESSED-LEG SIDE TABLE, JIUZHUO18th centuryThe table defined by a thick top framed on four sides and with beaded edges, set within single-panel flower-shaped aprons, supported on fluted legs featuring bridle joints, the stretchers similarly fluted. 98cm (38 1/2in) wide x 82cm (32 2/8in) high x 48.5cm (19in) deep.Footnotes:十八世紀 黃花梨花棱式腳酒桌Provenance: The Feng Wen Tang collection, Hong KongChristie's Hong Kong, 3 June 2015, lot 2849An important European private collection, and thence by descent來源：香港奉文堂舊藏香港佳士得，2015年6月3日，拍品編號2849歐洲重要私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今The present table is an exceptionally rare and elegant example of its type. Its clean timeless outline, resulting from its rectilinear members and strong proportions, provides a pleasing aesthetic effect which would have greatly appealed to the scholar-collector. In addition, the fluted legs supporting the flat top are features rarely encountered on huanghuali tables, as circular or square legs were normally used to support recessed-leg tables.Wine tables were often used for dining, usually accommodating one or two individuals. However, they were also placed next to walls, supporting flower vases, incense burners and art objects. Their restrained form and graceful splay of the legs may be traceable to domestic furniture design of the Song dynasty. See for example the elegant couple seated at a very similar table as the present example, enjoying wine served in lotus-shaped cups, depicted on the wall of a Song dynasty tomb in Baisha, Henan Province, illustrated by Su Bai, 'Song dynasty tombs in Baisha'Baisha Song mu, Beijing, 1957. Furthermore, a woodblock print from the 'Rescue of Prostitute by Zhao Paner' Zhao Paner Fengyue Jiu Fengchen, a drama dating to the Ming dynasty, depicts the protagonist and his female companion also sitting beside a recessed-leg table laid with a wine pot and cups. See G.Wu Bruce, The Best of the Best. The MQJ Collection of Ming Furniture, Beijing, 2017, p.154.A huanghuali recessed-leg table supported on similar fluted legs like the present example, 17th century, formerly in the collection of Robert Ellsworth, was sold at Christie's New York, 17 March 2015, lot 42. See also the pair of small huanghuali tables, 17th century, in the Chen Chite collection, illustrated in Splendors of Style: Classical Furniture from the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Beijing, 1999, pp.128-129. Compare with a nearly identical huanghuali recessed-leg wine table, late Ming dynasty, illustrated by G.Wu Bruce, The Best of the Best. The MQJ Collection of Ming Furniture, Beijing, 2017, p.155. A similar slightly earlier huanghuali waistless-leg side table, banzhuo, 17th century, was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 28 November 2012, lot 2003; a related huanghuali wine table, late 16th/early 17th century, was sold at Bonhams New York, 20 March 2013, lot 82.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TP YTP For auctions held in Scotland: Lots will be moved to an offsite storage location (Constantine, Constantine House, North Caldeen Road, Coatbridge ML5 4EF, Scotland, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please refer to the catalogue for further information.For all other auctions: Lots 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 FINE AND RARE JADE CARVING OF A TURTLE CLIMBING A ROCKSong/Liao Dynasty or laterExquisitely carved and pierced as a craggy rock with a single turtle of differing grey tone clambering atop, its shell with finely incised hexagonal pattern. 7cm (2 3/4in) wide. Footnotes:宋/遼或更晚 青玉龜山子Provenance: Sotheby's New York, 10 April 1986, lot 252Joseph (1938-2005) and Bella (1941-2011) Shapiro, and thence by descent 來源：紐約蘇富比，1986年4月10日，拍品編號252Joseph Shapiro (1938-2005)和 Bella Shapiro (1941-2011)舊藏，並由後人保存迄今The present lot is extremely rare but compare with a related to a jade carving of a coiled dragon on a gnarled rock, Song/Liao dynasty, in the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in the Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade, vol.5, Beijing, 2011, p.200, no.233.In Imperial China, the tortoise was a sacred animal. Followers of the sage Confucius considered it one of the 'Four Spiritually Endowed Creatures', along with the qilin, phoenix, and dragon. In Daoist philosophy, the tortoise symbolises the universe. Its domed shell represents the heavens, and its flat underside, the earth. Its long life also became an emblem of strength and longevity.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A RARE PALE GREEN JADE STEM CUPMing DynastyExpertly hollowed and raised on a high spreading foot carved with a band around the middle, the exterior finely carved with scrolling lotus, the translucent stone of even pale green tone. 8cm (3 1/8in) high.Footnotes:明 玉高足杯Provenance: Chait Galleries, New York (label)Roger Keverne Ltd., LondonJoseph (1938-2005) and Bella (1941-2011) Shapiro, acquired from the above on 1 December 2002, and thence by descent 來源： Chait Galleries，紐約（標籤）倫敦古董商Roger Keverne Ltd.Joseph Shapiro (1938-2005)和 Bella Shapiro (1941-2011)在2002年12月1日從上處購得，並由後人保存迄今The use of stem cups became popular in the Yuan dynasty and its popularity continued during the Ming and Qing dynasties. See a related pale green stem cup, 15th/16th century, in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, illustrated by M.Wilson, Chinese Jades, London, 2004, no.34. See also an example with scroll borders, Jin/Yuan dynasty, illustrated by A.Forsyth and B.McElney, Jades from China, Bath, 1994, no.255.See a related pale green jade stem bowl, Ming dynasty, which was sold at Bonhams London, 16 May 2013, lot 151.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A VERY RARE PALE GREEN AND RUSSET JADE 'FOREIGNER AND BOY CARRYING PAGODA' GROUP17th/18th centuryCrisply carved as a foreigner with long curly hair and earrings, wearing a large cap, bent slightly forward and resting his right hand on a staff, dressed in long flowing robes and clad with a large cape tied at his neck and spreading like a sail around his body to his outstretched arm touching the head of a boy carrying a pagoda, the stone of greenish-grey tone with russet patches. 9.3cm (3 5/8in) high.Footnotes:十七/十八世紀 青白玉雕番人童子把件Provenance: Joseph (1938-2005) and Bella (1941-2011) Shapiro, and thence by descent 來源：Joseph Shapiro (1938-2005)和 Bella Shapiro (1941-2011)舊藏，並由後人保存迄今The unusual representation of a boy carrying pagoda, suggests that the hooded adult figure may be identified as the luohan Nandimitra (also known as Subinda), who according to legend was the last disciple of Buddha. The ear-ringed figure with long curly hair, wide hood and cape, appears to be a foreigner. Small jade figures of this type representing foreigners were first made during the Tang dynasty when figures of foreigners were produced in various materials, representing the cosmopolitan society of the period. Two such standing figures from the collection of Dr and Mrs Cheng Te-k'un, both dated to the Tang dynasty, are illustrated by J.Rawson and J.Ayers in Chinese jade throughout the ages, Oriental Ceramic Society, London, 1975, nos.216 and 219. Each figure is similarly identified as a foreigner by his apparel, which includes a cloak.Compare with a related pale green jade carving of a foreigner, small Buddhist lion and kneeling figure, 17th century, which was sold at Bonhams New York, 21 March 2022, lot 231. See also a small pale green jade figure of a foreigner, late Ming/early Qing dynasty, which was sold at Christie's New York, 17 March 2016, lot 950.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A RARE VERY PALE GREEN JADE CARVING OF A BOY18th centuryThe pebble expertly carved as a boy on all fours clad in a dudou bodice and bangles on his legs and arms, holding a ruyi-sceptre, the head with shaved pate and two tufts of hair beside a smiling face, the stone of even pale green tone, box. 5.5cm (2 1/4in) long.Footnotes:十八世紀 玉雕童子把件Provenance: Spink & Son Ltd., LondonJoseph (1938-2005) and Bella (1941-2011) Shapiro, acquired from the above on 22 April 1991, and thence by descent Published, Illustrated and Exhibited: Spink & Son Ltd., Chinese Art at Spink, London, 1991, no.75來源：倫敦古董商Spink & Son Ltd.Joseph Shapiro (1938-2005)和 Bella Shapiro (1941-2011)在1991年4月22日從上處購得，並由後人保存迄今展覽著錄：Spink & Son Ltd.， 《Chinese Art at Spink》，倫敦， 1991年，編號75Compare with a similar white jade boy, Ming dynasty, in the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in the Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade, Beijing, 2011, vol.6, p.276, no.288.See also a related white jade carving of a boy, which was sold at Christie's London, 7 November 2014, lot 432.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A RARE 'BURNT' JADE CARVING OF A DEER17th/18th centuryThe recumbent animal finely carved with pricked ears aimed forward, a long spray of auspicious lingzhi fungus clasped in its jaws, its legs neatly folded and tucked underneath the plump body, the stone of cloudy white tone with grey patches and pinkish inclusions, wood stand, box. 10cm (4in) long. (3).Footnotes:十七/十八世紀 鹿銜靈芝玉擺件Provenance: Spink & Son Ltd., LondonJoseph (1938-2005) and Bella (1941-2011) Shapiro, acquired from the above on 12 December 1985, and thence by descent 來源：倫敦古董商Spink & Son Ltd.Joseph Shapiro (1938-2005)和 Bella Shapiro (1941-2011)在1985年12月12日從上處購得，並由後人保存迄今Deer have a number of auspicious meanings in Chinese culture. Shoulao, the Star God of Longevity, is usually depicted accompanied by a spotted deer, crane, peach and pine tree. Thus each of these, including the deer, has come to represent long life. Deer are also believed to be the only animals that can find the fungus of Immortality. The Chinese word for deer (lu 鹿), sounds like the word for emolument or an official salary (lu 祿), thus deer are symbolic of the rank and wealth that are associated with such a salary. The word for deer is also a homophone for 'road' and for 'six'. Thus two deer suggest two auspicious phrases: Lulu shunli, 'May all roads be smooth', and Liuliu dashun, 'May everything be smooth sailing'.Compare with a related green jade carving of a deer holding a lingzhi, Ming dynasty, illustrated in Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum. Jade, vol.6, Beijing, 2011, p.242, no.243.Compare with a yellow jade carving of a deer, 18th century, which was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 29 November 2017, lot 3059.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: YY Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

Hornby Dublo rare 4655 open brake gear Mineral Wagon, unused, boxed. Very few of these wagons were produced before moving onto 4656 Brown Mineral model. Mint condition, box in near perfect condition with yellow packing rings

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