A large Chinese lacquered Ôdragon boatÕ incense timekeeper Unsigned, circa 1800 The elongated body with elaborate carved giltwood terminals modelled as a dragon head opposing conforming tail plume, the sides decorated in various shades of gilt with shaped panels containing figural scenes within an elaborate scrolling foliate painted field on a deep brown ground and incorporating carved giltwood paw supports fitted with turned bone castors to underside, the pewter-lined interior applied with evenly spaced U-shaped wire cross-members to cradle an incense stick (some wear, minor losses), 76cm (30ins) long. The use of incense in timekeeping has its roots in the Buddhistic traditions of China, Japan and Korea, with perhaps the earliest timekeepers being used purely within a religious context. The current lot is a large example of the classic Ôdragon-boatÕ form which were made for domestic use. Such timekeepers were often provided with a simple alarm mechanism formed from a length of string with a metal weight tied to each end. The string would be placed over the centre of the boat with the weights hanging over each side, when the incense stick (cradled within the U shaped depressions to the internal wire cross-members) burnt down to the position immediately beneath the string it would break causing the weights to drop - often onto a hard metal pan placed beneath the timekeeper.
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A Chinese bamboo brush handle, carved with three panels of birds and flowers and mounted with a silver collar (hallmarked for London 1884) and ivory blade, the latter engraved with the name ÒCraceÓ, the ÒCÓ formed as a rustic bough, 33cm long; a bamboo walking stick with Chinese silver knop decorated in repousse relief with figures in a wooded landscape, 82.5cm long
Chinese Puzzles and Lacquer Box, 19th/early 20th c (lot of 9) Selection of Chinese bone and ivory puzzles in a gilt lacquered box, late Qing/early Republic period, consisting of two ring puzzles, a puzzle with eleven rings and discs, two dissected puzzles within cases with sliding lids, one ball-and-stick, a stick puzzle with six pieces, a needle and ring puzzle within a stand; together with a small brush pot finely carved with figures in a landscape with dense foliage (base separated); along with a lacquer box decorated with gilt flowers and butterflies to the lid, 11.5"w Provenance: The Montclair Art Museum (Montclair, NJ) deaccession
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