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A gilt bronze figure of a boddhisatva, Sixteen Kingdoms period (304–439)

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Lot 19. A gilt bronze figure of a boddhisatva, Sixteen Kingdoms period (304–439); 7.5cm., 3in. Estimate 6,000 - 8,000 GBP. Lot sold 7,500 GBP. Photo courtesy Sotheby's 2015

cast seated on a rectangular pedestal, the hands folded in dhyanamudra, wearing long robes falling into voluminous folds, the face with a meditative expression and the hair piled up into a high chignon, wood stand and Japanese wood box . Quantité: 3.

ProvenanceMayuyama & Co. Ltd, Tokyo.

NoteThis figure of Shakyamuni belongs to the earliest examples of Chinese Buddhist sculpture. These early gilt-bronze Buddha figures, typically portrayed seated in dhyanasana, still display characteristics that may be traced back to Gandharan models, such as the treatment of the hair and robe, while at the same time testifying to the emergence of a distinctive Chinese style, evident in the angular body and the rectangular throne flanked by lions.

The present piece was probably once adorned with a backing mandorla, as seen on a larger figure of this type excavated in Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, cast in relief with figures of attendants and flying apsaras below an umbrella canopy; see the exhibition catalogue China. Dawn of a Golden Age, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2004, cat. no. 45; and another in the Idemitsu Museum of Arts, Tokyo, included in the exhibition Gilt Bronze Buddhist Statues. China, Korea and Japan, Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo, 1987, cat. no. 5.

Compare also a similar figure sold in our New York rooms, 21st September 2006, lot 111; three sold in these rooms, 30thMarch 1978, lot 53; 14th December 1982, lot 26; and 7th June 1988, lot 33; and a further example sold at Christie’s London, 2nd June 1989, lot 87. 

Sotheby's. The Soul of Japanese Aesthetics – The Tsuneichi Inoue Collection, Londres, 13 mai 2015


A gilt bronze figure of seated Buddha, China, Sixteen Kingdoms period, first half of the 5th century

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Lot 4. A gilt bronze figure of seated Buddha, China, Sixteen Kingdoms period, first half of the 5th century. Height: 5 1/2  in. (14 cm). Photo courtesy Sotheby's 2013

Provenance: Private Japanese collection, early 20th century

Literature: Y. Murata, "New examples of the early Chinese bronze Buddha”, Ars Buddhica 305, 2009.

NotePortable religious icons provide evidence of the early transmission of Buddhism from Central Asia into China. Gilt-bronze figures of Buddha were particularly popular, perhaps bolstered by the belief that Buddhism’s introduction into China was inspired by Han Emperor Ming Di’s (28-75) dream of a shining gold figure, jin ren.  The earliest known dated Chinese bronze Buddha is the seated figure in the collection of the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, made in the 4th year of Jianwu (338), which displays the stylistic development of its Central Asian proto-type. The 5th century witnessed the complete adaptation and transformation of Buddhism in the Chinese context, and the production of Buddhist images became an important part of the new ideology and iconography.

The present gilt-bronze figure portrays the meditating Shakyamuni Buddha seated on a plinth decorated with two lions, and placed on a separately cast pedestal incised with a lotus pattern and set with two prostrating donors cast in relief on the front apron. The parasol and aureole that would have been inserted into the two tabs on the back of the figure are missing. Such small objects were used for private shrines and were easily transportable. The treatment of Buddha’s hair and the portrayal of the garments are characteristically Chinese, but the composition and decorative motifs display Central Asian influences. Stylistically, the bronze dates to the first half of the 5th century, and was made in the Dingzhou area of today’s Hebei province. There is a similar gilt-bronze seated figure of Buddha, with the pedestal, aureole and parasol still attached , illustrated in Zhongguo wenwu jinghua dacidian-qingtongjuan, Shanghai, 1995, no. 1244, unearthed in Shijiazhuang in the 1960s, and another one found in Baoding , illustrated in Wenwu 1987/7, pp. 67-8, both in Hebei province. A similar example which originated in Hebei but was discovered in Jinchuan, eastern Gansu province in 1975, is illustrated in Zhongguo wenwu jinghua dacidian-qingtongjuan, ibid, no. 1246, and exhibited at the Monks and Merchants: Silk Road Treasures from Northwest China, Exhibition, Asia Society, New York, 2001, cat. No. 47, pp. 150-1.

Also compare the examples in the collections of the Beijing Palace Museum, illustrated in Mingke yu daoshu, Hong Kong, 2008, no. 164;  the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Sano Art Museum in Shizuoka, illustrated in Saburo Matsubara, Chinese Buddhist Sculpture—A study based on stone statues other than works from cave temples, Tokyo, 1966, pl. 7 a, b, c, pl. 7, which also illustrates five other similar pieces in private collections; and two other examples previously in the Nitta Group collection, now in the National Palace Museum, Taipei and illustrated in The Crucible of Compassion and Wisdom: Special Exhibition Catalogue of the Buddhist Bronzes from the Nitta Group Collection at the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1987, nos. 55, 56, pp. 151-2.          

Sotheby's. Footsteps of the Buddha: Masterworks from Across the Buddhist World, New York, 03 Sep 2013

A small early gilt-bronze figure of Shakyamuni Buddha, Sixteen Kingdoms period (304–439)

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A small early gilt-bronze figure of Shakyamuni Buddha, Sixteen Kingdoms period (304–439)

Lot 801. A small early gilt-bronze figure of Shakyamuni Buddha, Sixteen Kingdoms period (304–439); 3 1/8 in. (8 cm.) high. Estimate USD 5,000 - USD 7,000Price realised USD 17,500© Christie's Images Ltd 2017

The figure is shown seated in dhyanasana on a lion throne, and wears a square shawl that is draped around the body. A small attachment tab projects from the back of the head, wood stand.

ProvenancePrivate collection, Japan, acquired prior to 1930.

NoteThis figure belongs to a specific group of small sculptures of Shakyamuni Buddha made for personal devotion that found popularity during the fourth to fifth centuries in China. They are some of the earliest free-standing representations of Buddha made in China, and point to the direct spread of Buddhism from India into China.

Christie's. Treasures of the Noble Path: Early Buddhist Art from Japanese Collections, 14 September 2017, New York

A small gilt-bronze figure of Shakyamuni Buddha, Sixteen Kingdoms period (304–439)

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A small gilt-bronze figure of Shakyamuni Buddha, Sixteen Kingdoms period (304–439)

Lot 803. A small gilt-bronze figure of Shakyamuni Buddha, Sixteen Kingdoms period (304–439); 3 ½ in. (9 cm.) highEstimate USD 30,000 - USD 40,000Price realised USD 162,500. © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

The figure is shown seated in dhyanasana on a lion throne cast in relief with two lions, with hands held in dyanasanamudra, and wears a square shawl that is draped around the body in parallel folds. The face is cast with a contemplative expression. A small pierced attachment tab projects from the back of the head.

Provenance: Mayuyama & Co., Tokyo, prior to 1983.

The Property of Gotō Shinshudō

LiteratureKuboso Art Museum, Chinese Early Gilt Bronze Buddhas, Osaka, 1988, p. 23, no. 17.

Exhibited: Osaka, Kuboso Art Museum, Chinese Early Gilt Bronze Buddhas, 1988, no. 17

Note: This figure belongs to a group of small gilt-bronze sculptures of Shakyamuni Buddha made for personal use during the fourth to fifth centuries in China, and point to the direct spread of Buddhism from India into China. This can be seen in the retention of stylistic influences of early Indian representations of Buddha, such as the pose, and the type of garment with parallel folds. A number of these, with variations in the depiction of the hair and the lion base, are illustrated by Jin Shen in Hai wai ji Gong Yai cang li dai fo xiang: zhen pin ji nian cu jian (Catalogue of Treasures of Buddhist Sculpture in Overseas Collections including Hong Kong and Taiwan), Shanxi, 2007, pp. 386-87, the figure in the collection of the Kuboso Memorial Museum of Art, Japan, illustrated on p. 386, being the most similar to the current figure. See, also, another of this group sold at Christie's New York, 20 March 2014, lot 1601. Others, also with variations, are illustrated by Saburo Matsubara in Chugoku Bukkyo chokokushi shiron, vol. 1, Early Six Dynasties, Tokyo, 1995, pls. 9-14 and pl. 15d. Several of these can be seen to retain an original aureole and nimbus as well as an umbrella. The satiny patina of the surface where the gilding is worn on the current figure attests to it having been much revered.

Christie's. Treasures of the Noble Path: Early Buddhist Art from Japanese Collections, 14 September 2017, New York

A rare small gilt-bronze figure of Shakyamuni Buddha, Sixteen Kingdoms period (304–439)

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A rare small gilt-bronze figure of Shakyamuni Buddha, Sixteen Kingdoms period (304–439)

Lot 1601. A rare small gilt-bronze figure of Shakyamuni Buddha, Sixteen Kingdoms period (304–439); 5 in. (12.7 cm.) high. Estimate USD 200,000 - USD 300,000Price realised USD 245,000© Christie's Images Ltd 2014

The figure is shown seated in dhyanasana on a slightly trapezoidal "lion" throne cast with two snarling lions flanking a stylized vase of lotus. The hands are held in dhyanamudra, and the palms are detailed by simple criss-crossed lines. The Buddha wears a large square shawl that is draped around the body and falls in deep U-shaped folds in front, where simple circles and rosettes are punched on the borders and on the base. The face is cast with a gentle, contemplative expression and the hair is shown in diagonal segments above the forehead and in curls on the ushnisha. A small attachment loop projects from the back of the head, and two from the back of the base.

ProvenanceAcquired from a private collection, Japan, in the 1980s.
Sotheby's New York, 22 September 2005, lot 8. 

LiteratureSumitomo Collection, Gilt Metal Buddhist Figures. The Essence of Buddhist Art in East Asia, Kyoto, March 2004, p. 11, no. 2.
Comprehensive Illustrated Catalogue of Chinese Buddhist Statues in Overseas Collections, vol. 1, Beijing, 2005, p. 17. 

Note: This small, well-cast figure is a fine example of a specific group of small sculptures of Shakyamuni Buddha made for personal devotion that found popularity during the fourth to fifth centuries in China. They are some of the earliest free-standing representations of Buddha made in China, and point to the direct spread of Buddhism from India into China. This group of figures retains the stylistic influences of earlier Indian representations, such as the pose, the type of garment with parallel folds, and the treatment of the hair, with wavy curls covering the ushnisha. This iconography is apparent in a seated figure of Buddha in the center of the cover of a Gandharan gilt-bronze reliquary, dated circa 100-150 CE, now in the Peshawar Museum of Art, and illustrated by Denise P. Leidy, Donna Strahan, et al., in Wisdom Embodied: Chinese Buddhist and Daoist Sculpture in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2010, p. 7, fig. 4. The robes of this latter figure have a more natural, and fluid appearance, which is characteristic of Gandharan and Mathuran sculpture of second-century date, but these softer lines evolved into the simplified, more abstract linear folds of the robes of the Chinese figures, such as those of one of the earliest-known Chinese figures of this type in the Brundage Collection, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, which is dated 338 CE, and is illustrated by Hugo Munsterberg in Chinese Buddhist Bronzes, Vermont/Japan, 1967, p. 37, pl. 1. The Brundage figure has a plain rectangular base, but other similar figures are seated on a "lion" throne, similar to that of the present figure. These include an example dated to the early fifth century, in the Nelson- Atkins Museum of Art, also illustrated by Munsterberg, pl. 2, and another very similar figure dated to the Sixteen Kingdoms period, late fourth to early fifth century, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, illustrated in Wisdom Embodiedop. cit., pp. 48-50, no. 1. As with the base of the present figure, two lions flank a vase of flowers or a lotus, and this representation, too, is based on Gandharan and Mathuran iconography of second and third century date. Several similar Chinese gilt-bronze figures seated on a similar "lion" throne are illustrated by Saburo Matsubara in Chugoku Bukkyo chokokushi shiron, vol. 1, Early Six Dynasties, Tokyo, 1995, pls. 10-14.

Christie'sThe Sublime and the Beautiful: Asian Masterpieces of Devotion, 20 March 2014, New York

Buddha, Sixteen Kingdoms period (304–439), late 4th–early 5th century

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DP170218

Buddha, Sixteen Kingdoms period (304–439), late 4th–early 5th century. Gilt bronze; piece-mold cast. H. 6 1/2 in. (16.5 cm); W. 2 3/4 in. (7 cm); D. 1 3/8 in. (3.5 cm). Purchase, Arthur M. Sackler Gift, 1974; 1974.268.8a–c. © The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Representations of the Buddha wearing a thick shawl over both shoulders and sitting atop a throne with lions on either side are Chinese adaptations of images derived from the northwest region of the Indian subcontinent, particularly from areas in present-day Pakistan (known as Gandhara in the ancient world). Scientific examination of this sculpture has shown that it was cast using several ceramic molds, a technique that was also used to create the ancient bronze ritual vessels on view in this gallery. By the fifth century, the lost-wax method, which may have been introduced with Buddhism, was used more often for the casting of Chinese sculptures.

Paolo Boni à la Galerie 24Beaubourg

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boni

Né en 1925 dans un petit village toscan, Paolo Boni entre au « Liceo Artistico » de Florence, où son professeur Corrado Vigni, sculpteur, prend sous son aile ce fils de paysan aussi talentueux que travailleur. Il l’accueille dans son atelier. C’est là, à vingt-quatre ans, qu’il rencontre sa future femme, la jeune photographe américaine Katherine White, dix-neuf ans, de passage en Europe. Ils se marient en 1953 et s’installent définitivement en 1954 à Paris. Il travaille en « artiste italien de Paris »à Alésia dans son atelier, ou dans celui de Vallauris jusqu’aux environs de 2004, année où l’alzheimer de sa femme, connue désormais en tant que Cuchi White, le réclame à temps plein. Un beau jour, par la force des choses, l’oeuvre est achevée.

Peintre, sculpteur, graveur, Boni, le « mécanicien de l’imaginaire » tel que l’avait baptisé très justement son ami Georges Perec, s’est éclipsé en mars 2017. Il laisse derrière lui plus de mille pièces à ce jour inventoriées sans compter les oeuvres cédées. Notons qu’il est présent dans plus de trente-huit grands musées et collections dont le Moma, la Public Library ou la Bibliothèque nationale de France.

L’ensemble ici réuni, représentatif d’une vie intense de travail, est un avant-goût d’une oeuvre extrêmement inventive, loin des modes et des dictats artistiques. Expérimentateur, solitaire et indépendant, il a cheminé sans concession aux tendances du marché ou de la critique de son temps. L’oeuvre de Paolo Boni est là, elle est évidente, elle existe. Luxuriante, abondante, elle s’impose par sa richesse créative. Habitée aussi par la malice et la modestie bien connues de tous ceux qui ont fréquenté l’homme.

Une soixantaine d’oeuvres de tous mediums et époques propose une première immersion significative dans cette oeuvre marquante du XXe siècle.

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Paolo Boni - Galerie 24Beaubourg - 10-27 janvier 2018 

kb2765_c231_01_u_0

Métaux / Georges Perec, sept sonnets hétérogrammatiques ; Paolo Boni, sept graphisculptures. - Paris : R.L.D. [Robert et Lydie Dutrou], 1985. - [40] p. : ill. ; 44×61 cm.

Boni-Wash-Art-80-Embossed-Fine-Art-Intaglio-Poster-hand-signed-and-numbered-by-artist-Paolo-Boni

“Boni Wash Art 80” Embossed Fine Art Intaglio poster hand signed and numbered by artist Paolo Boni.

Deux oeuvres de Paolo Boni au MOMA New York:

cri_000000218061

Paolo Boni. The Flight. 1964. Engraving and scratching on riveted metal plates. plate (irreg.): 16 5/8 x 13 7/8" (42.2 x 35.3cm); sheet: 26 x 19 13/16" (66 x 50.3cm). International Graphic Arts Society Fund. 515.1966. © 2017 Paolo Boni / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris. © 2017 The Museum of Modern Art

cri_000000217862

Paolo Boni. Dawn (Alba). 1965. Engraving, etching and scratching on riveted metal plates. plate: 25 5/16 x 19 13/16" (64.3 x 50.3cm); sheet: 25 7/8 x 19 13/16" (65.7 x 50.3cm). Gift of the artist. 514.1966. © 2017 Paolo Boni / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris© 2017 The Museum of Modern Art

 

Diamond by the House of Moussaieff

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A 17+ carat flawless emerald-cut diamond ring, by the House of Moussaieff. © Moussaieff Jewellers

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Diamond earrings featuring 8 carat pear drops, by the House of Moussaieff© Moussaieff Jewellers

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An exceptional 20+ carat heart-shape diamond ring flanked with vivid pink diamonds, by the House of Moussaieff© Moussaieff Jewellers

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A 30+ carat internally flawless pear-shape diamond, from the House of Moussaieff© Moussaieff Jewellers

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11+ carat pear-shape diamond ring from the 'DIF' internally flawless collection, from the House of Moussaieff© Moussaieff Jewellers

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An excellent 16.65 carat brilliant cut diamond mounted on platinum and white diamonds, by the House of Moussaieff© Moussaieff Jewellers

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A classic and beautiful marquise, round and pear diamond suite, by the House of Moussaieff© Moussaieff Jewellers

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Sensational earrings with two 12+ brilliant heart shape diamonds, pear shape diamond tops and detachable drops, by the House of Moussaieff© Moussaieff Jewellers

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A beaming heart shape diamond pendant; internally flawless, 61+ carats, from the House of Moussaieff© Moussaieff Jewellers


A large blue and white sleeve vase, Qing dynasty, Shunzhi period (1644-1661)

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A large blue and white sleeve vase, Qing dynasty, Shunzhi period (1644-1661)

Lot 67. A large blue and white sleeve vase, Qing dynasty, Shunzhi period (1644-1661); 43.8cm. 17 1/4 in. Estimate 8,000 — 10,000 GBP. Lot sold 9,600 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's 2007

of cylindrical form with flat base and tall waisted neck, finely painted around the exterior in rich cobalt-blue tones with scholars playing weiqi amidst a landscape with equestrian figures and swirling mist, all between incised classic scroll and wave bands at the foot and shoulder and a pendent stiff leaf band at the rim.

Note: A tall vase of this form painted with a scene of figures in landscape is illustrated in Julia B. Curtis, Chinese Porcelains of the Seventeenth Century, New York, 1995, p. 48, pl. 4, where the author notes that the horizontal clouds represent the conventional 'back' found on many porcelains made between the 1630s and the early 1660s. This convention works as a frame for the different scenes taken from woodblock-printed books, scenes which were transposed from a flat surface to a round object.

Compare a vase decorated with a hunting scene sold in these rooms, 2nd December 249; another slightly larger vase, from the collection of Gunda Mordhorst, sold in our New York rooms, 25th September 1975, lot 153; and a third example, from the H.M. Knight collection, sold at Christie's London, 13th November 1979, lot 46.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, London, 16 May 2007

A large blue and white square vase, Mark and period of Kangxi (1662-1722)

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A large blue and white square vase, Mark and period of Kangxi (1662-1722)

Lot 68. A large blue and white square vase, Mark and period of Kangxi (1662-1722); 49.5cm., 19 1/2 in. Estimate 8,000 — 12,000 GBP. Lot sold 21,600 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's 2007

of square tapering baluster form, each side painted in vivid cobalt-blue tones with cusped panels variously enclosing figures within pavillions, gardens and on horseback, the tall waisted neck with bamboo sprays and encircled by floral sprays at the domed shoulder.

Provenance: Private collection in Bavaria, Germany (by repute).

Note: See four Kangxi vases of this type illustrated in Seventeenth Century Chinese Porcelain from the Butler Family Collection, Alexandria, Virginia, 1990, pls. 118-121, all painted with different scenes of figures in landscape. Regarding the dating of these four vases, it is noted ibid., p. 172, that 'some experts place them after 1680, but the painting styles have similarities with pieces from the 1660's.

Compare also a vase sold in these rooms, 10th May 1994, lot 5; and another, also with a six-character Kangxi reign mark, included in Qing Shunzhi Kangxi chao qinghua ci, vol.1, Beijing, 2005, pl. 297.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, London, 16 May 2007

A dated blue and white 'Dragon' censer, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period, dated 1704

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A dated blue and white 'Dragon' censer, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period, dated 1704

Lot 69. A dated blue and white 'Dragon' censer, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period, dated 1704; 25cm., 9 7/8 in. Estimate 6,000 — 9,000 GBP. Lot sold 7,200 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's 2007

the body of compressed globular form rising from a short spreading foot to a flaring mouth, painted around the exterior in vivid cobalt-blue tones with a dedicatory panel flanked by two large ferocious scaly dragons.

ProvenanceChristie's London, 11th December 1989, lot 166.
Spink & Sons, Ltd. London, circa 1992.

NoteThe inscription on the present censer can be translated as follows:

Zhang Yuanwu from Li with respect dedicates this censer to be placed in front of the Bodhisattva in the Mingjian Temple to protect the whole family and to help them fulfil all their wishes.
This dedication was made in the first month of Winter of the jiasheng year (equivalent to A.D.1704).

Compare a related censer, painted with mythical beasts and with a dedicatory inscription, illustrated in Qing Shunzhi Kangxi qiao qinghua ci, vol.1, Beijing, 2005, pl. 25, together with another censer of this form decorated with flora and fauna, pl. 26, both from the Palace Museum collection. Another censer of this type with an inscription dated to the yihai year (equivalent to A.D.1695.) is published in Kangxi Porcelain Wares from the Shanghai Museum, Hong Kong, 1998, pl. 65.

A censer of slightly different proportions decorated with mythical creatures, from the Shanghai Museum, was included in the exhibition Seventeenth Century Jingdezhen Porcelain from the Shanghai Museum and the Butler Collections, Shanghai Museum, 2006, p. 108, cat.no. 22, where it is noted that 'the overall shape of this censer is not that different from other blue-and-white censers from the late Ming and early Qing periods.' 

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, London, 16 May 2007

A rare blue and white censer, Qing dynasty, Chongzhen period (1627-1644)

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A rare blue and white censer, Qing dynasty, Chongzhen period (1627-1644)

Lot 70. A rare blue and white censer, Qing dynasty, Chongzhen period (1627-1644); 22,5cm. 8 7/8 in. Estimate 6,000 — 9,000 GBP. Lot sold 14,400 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's 2007

the compressed globular body rising from a short spreading foot to a short waisted neck with everted rim, painted around the exterior with a broad band of mythical beasts amidst tumultuous foaming waves, all between key-fret and lotus scroll bands.

ProvenanceSotheby's Hong Kong, 28th April 1998, lot 774.

Note: The blue wave design on this incense burner is related to a dish in the Percival David Foundation, inscribed with a post-dynastic Ming date corresponding to 1644, included in the exhibition Chinese Ceramics of the Transitional Period1620-1683, China House Gallery, China Institute of America, New York, 1983, p.16, cat.no. 17.  

The white-against-blue design is reminiscent of Chongzhen period wares, for example, see a Chongzhen mark and period box and cover from the Edward T. Chow collection, sold in these rooms 25th November 1980, lot 22, and illustrated ibid.,p.13, cat.nos 14 and 15, together with three further pieces attributed to the same period cat.nos.26, 28 and 29.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, London, 16 May 2007

A good blue and white yenyen vase, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period (1662-1722)

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A good blue and white yenyen vase, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period (1662-1722)

Lot 72. A good blue and white yenyen vase, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period (1662-1722); 44cm., 17 3/8 in. Estimate 4,000 — 6,000 GBP. Lot sold 11,400 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's 2007

the baluster-shaped body rising from a spreading foot and painted around the exterior in rich cobalt-blue tones with a continuous river landscape scene, the tall and broad ribbed trumpet neck similarly painted, all between simple cloud bands at the base and rim.

ProvenancePrivate collection, Berlin, purchased in 1987(by repute).

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, London, 16 May 2007

A blue and white inscribed brushpot, Mark and period of Kangxi (1662-1722)

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A blue and white inscribed brushpot, Mark and period of Kangxi (1662-1722)

Lot 52. A blue and white inscribed brushpot, Mark and period of Kangxi (1662-1722); 15.5cm., 6 1/8 in. Estimate 8,000 — 12,000 GBP. Lot sold 10,200 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's 2007

of slightly waisted cylindrical form, painted in underglaze-blue with the text of the Sheng zhu de xian chen song `Ode to the Finding of Virtuous Officials by the Divine Ruler' in kaishu script, finished with a mock seal, reading Xi Chao Chuan Gu, the base with a recessed circle in the centre inscribed with the reign mark.

Provenance: Collection of Ludwig Bretschneider, Munich, circa 1975 (by repute).

Note: A Kangxi brushpot with the same inscription and seal mark, sold in these rooms, 28th November 1978, lot 269, was included in the Kau Chi Society exhibition Ancient Chinese Ceramics, Hong Kong, 1981, cat.no. 112. Another similar brushpot, in the Shanghai Museum, is illustrated in Kangxi Porcelain Wares from the Shanghai Museum Collection, Hong Kong, 1998, pl. 19; and a third example was sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 2nd May 2000, lot 577.

The inscription on the present brushpot is taken from the Eulogy of the Sacred Emperor and the Honorable Officials by Wang Ziyuan. The seal consists of the four characters Xi chao chuan gu. The Kangxi Emperor favoured the use of classical texts and literary writings as decoration on ceramics and many of them, such as the Ode to the Red Cliff by the famous Song dynasty poet Su Shih, or Tao Yuanming's poem Returning to Live in the Country were painted on porcelain pieces. See a Kangxi brushpot painted with the poem Song of the Ten Views of the West Lake by Ming poet Mo Fan, sold in these rooms, 19th June 2002, lot 55; and another with the same poem was included in the exhibition Splendour of the Qing Dynasty, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1992, cat.no. 129.  

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, London, 16 May 2007

A large blue and white fish bowl, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period (1662-1722)

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A large blue and white fish bowl, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period (1662-1722)

Lot 82. A large blue and white fish bowl, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period (1662-1722); 49.5cm., 19 1/2 in. Estimate 10,000 — 15,000 GBP. Lot sold 18,000 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's 2007

brightly painted in underglaze-blue with long-tailed pheasants perched amongst rockwork, flowering shrubs and other birds in flight, all beneath a moulded rim with scroll band. 

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, London, 16 May 2007


A rare and large hexagonal blue and white salt for the Western market, Ming dynasty, Wanli period (1573-1620)

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A rare and large hexagonal blue and white salt for the Western market, Ming dynasty, Wanli period (1573-1620)

Lot 84. A rare and large hexagonal blue and white salt for the Western market, Ming dynasty, Wanli period (1573-1620); 15.2cm., 6in. Estimate 50,000 — 70,000 GBP. Lot sold 162,000 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's 2007

each of the straight sides of the body painted in rich cobalt-blue tones with a rectangular panel variously enclosing vases of flowers and 'Auspicious Symbols', all below the stepped flaring rim with  dentil and diaper bands and above a similarly painted stepped spreading base supported on six lion mask and paw feet, the interior and base glazed white. 

Note: Blue and white vessels of this form are extremely rare and only a few examples appear to be recorded. The form is derived from Dutch and German silver of the late 16th and early 17th century. See Sir Charles James Jackson, AnIllustrated History of English Plate, New York, 1969, chapter XVIII, where a number of round and square pedestal salts are illustrated and dated between 1577-1586. Another silver salt example of similar hexagonal form with a domed cover is published in Michael Clayton, The Collector's Dictionary of Silver and Gold of Great Britain and North America, London,1971, p. 230, dated to 1550.

The decoration found on the present salt was much favoured for the export market and can be found on wares of other forms; for example see two pear-shaped vases attributed to the early and mid-17th century painted with the design of auspicious symbols and treasures published in Christiaan J. A. Jorg, Chinese Ceramics in the Collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Amsterdam, 1997, pls. 50-51. Jorg ibid., p. 65, notes that such bottles 'were common in cargoes of the VOC ships returning to the Netherlands and frequently figure in the Company's records. Unlike dishes, saucers and bowls of Kraak porcelain, hollow forms such as bottles, ewers and jars do not have the characteristic thin body of Kraak porcelain and are more heavily potted. Nevertheless, all authors accept them as Kraak ware because of their decoration in - usually moulded - panels'.

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Thomas de Keyser, Portrait of a young silversmith, circa 1630. Reproduced by kind permission of the Marquess of Bath, Longleat House, Warminster, Wiltshire.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, London, 16 May 2007

An extremely rare white metal-mounted blue and white 'A-Borrag' apothecary bottle; the porcelain late Ming dynasty

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An extremely rare white metal-mounted blue and white 'A-borrag' apothecary bottle ; the porcelain late Ming dynasty, the mount later

Lot 85. An extremely rare white metal-mounted blue and white 'A-Borrag' apothecary bottle; the porcelain late Ming dynasty, the mount later; 29.3cm., 11 1/2 in. Estimate 5,000 — 7,000 GBP. Lot sold 25,200 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's 2007

after a majolica original, the ovoid body rising from a recessed base to a tall narrow ribbed neck, painted to the front and back face with an elaborate cartouche enclosing a rectangular panel inscribed 'A-BORRAG', reserved on a leafy floral strapwork ground, all below a floral scroll collar and stiff plantain leaf band at the neck. 

Provenance: Christie's London, 23rd June 1975, lot 54.

Literature: Anthony du Boulay, Christie's Pictorial History of Chinese Ceramics, London, p.193, pl.10.

Note: A related apothecary jar was sold in these rooms, 16th May 1995, lot 11; and another, from the Mottahedeh collection, was sold in our New York rooms, 19th October 2000, lot 80. The inscription 'A. Borrag' stands for 'Aqua de Borago' indicating the use of this vessel as a container for burrage water. Burrage, also known as 'star flower' or 'bee plant' was known for its medicinal properties, especially for treating cold and flu.  

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, London, 16 May 2007

A large and rare blue and white and Imari jar and cover, Qing dynasty, 18th century

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A large and rare blue and white and Imari jar and cover, Qing dynasty, 18th century

Lot 87. A large and rare blue and white and Imari jar and cover, Qing dynasty, 18th century; 75cm., 29 1/2 in. Estimate 6,000 — 8,000 GBP. Lot sold 13,200 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's 2007

the body of ovoid form with short straight neck, painted around the exterior with twelve blue and white quatrefoil panels enclosing landscape scenes with pagodas, all reserved on an imari-palette ground of blossoming peony branches, the domed cover similarly decorated and surmounted by a lotus-bud finial. Quantity: 2. 

Provenance: Private collection, Dresden, purchased around 1955 (by repute).

Note: An identical jar and cover with gilt bronze mounts is illustrated by Walter Bondy, Kang-hsi, Munich, 1925, pl. 119. 

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, London, 16 May 2007

A rare pair of Imari armorial bottles and covers for the Portuguese market, Qing dynasty, Kangxi, circa 1720

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A rare pair of Imari armorial bottles and covers for the Portuguese market, Qing dynasty, Kangxi, circa 1720

Lot 86. A rare pair of Imari armorial bottles and covers for the Portuguese market, Qing dynasty, Kangxi, circa 1720; 22.3cm., 8 3/4 in. Estimate 30,000 — 40,000 GBP. Lot sold 72,000 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's 2007

each with ovoid body, rising from a short foot with recessed base to a short cylindrical neck, brightly enamelled to the front face with the arms of Sampaio Melo e Castro, the reverse with iron-red and gilt floral sprays, all below a floret and diaper band at the rim, the tall straight-sided cover similarly decorated . Quantity: 4. 

Note: For a very similar bottle and cover see one included in the exhibition Caminhos da Porcelana, Dinastias Ming e Qing, Fundacao Oriente, Lisbon, 1998, cat.no. 46, together with a cutlery box, pl. 44, a tea caddy, pl. 45, two coolers, pls. 47-48, and a plate, pl. 49 bearing the same arms. See another dish from the same service included in Nuno de Castro, Chinese Porcelain and the Heraldry of the Empire, p.65, where the author notes that this was the fourth service made for Francisco Jose de Sampaio Melo e Castro, 11th Lord of Vila Flor, Military Governor of the Alentejo, Councillor of State, 66th Governor and 40th Viceroy of India between 1720-1723. Sampaio Melo e Castro died in Goa in 1723.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, London, 16 May 2007

A famille verte brushpot, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period (1662-1722)

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A famile verte brushpot, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period (1662-1722)

Lot 51. A famille verte brushpot, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period (1662-1722); 13.6cm., 5 3/8 in. Estimate 8,000 — 12,000 GBP. Lot sold 18,000 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's 2007

brightly enamelled around the cylindrical body with two large blue-bordered mihrab arch panels enclosing antiques, all reserved on a dense floret-diaper ground with two sinuous writhing chilong emerging from behind the panels, the interior glazed white. 

Provenance: Sotheby;s London, 3rd June 1984, lot 30. 
Sotheby's Hong Kong, 18th May 1988. lot 287.

Note: See a Kangxi 'famille verte' brushpot painted with the design of the 'Hundred Treasures' sold in these rooms, 4th December 1979, lot 193. The decorative motif of a 'Hundred Treasures'  includes symbols of the 'Four Scholarly Pursuits' such as the book and scroll as well as objects from the 'Eight Treasures' which include the lingzhi fungus for longevity and the ding symbolizing power.  

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, London, 16 May 2007

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