Lot 15. A marble figure of a standing Bodhisattva, Northern Zhou-Sui dynasty  (557-618). Height 33 3/4  in., 88 cm. Estimate: 400,000 — 600,000 USD. © Sotheby's.

 the deity carved standing, grasping a bottle held in the lowered proper left hand, richly adorned with an intricately detailed diadem of twisted, beaded, and jeweled strands encircling the lobed double-chignon piled high on the top of the head, the peaceful face with broadly arched brows and downcast, lidded eyes, the body elegantly attired in a dhoti and long shawl embellished with ornate jewelry comprising multiple strands of necklaces and luxurious chains extending large pendants and crossed in front and behind the waist, the looped strands over the body joined by rosettes, overall with traces of gilt, red, and green pigments, supported on a lotus-petal carved base, stand (2).

Provenance: Acquired prior to September 1952. 
Collection of Stephen Junkunc, III (d. 1978). 

Literature: Oak Park Resident Keeps Priceless Collection of Oriental Art in Bomb Shelter', Chicago Tribune, 7th September 1952, part III, p. 1.

Note: Regal in countenance and adornment, this figure effortlessly bridges the aesthetic style of the Northern Zhou and Sui dynasties. Carvings from this period are rare, and even rarer are those of this exceptional quality carved from marble. Perhaps the closest example to the present is a pair of standing bodhisattvas of slightly smaller size (79 cm), discovered in 1992 in Xi’an, Shaanxi province and now in the Xi’an City institute of Cultural Properties Protection and Archaeology, included in the exhibition China: Dawn of a Golden Age, 200-750 AD, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2004, cat. no. 170; and a smaller marble figure, attributed to the Sui dynasty, excavated in 1963 from Mengcun, Lantian county, Shaanxi province, published in Matsubara Saburō, Chūgoku Bukkyō chōkoku shiron [Historical survey of Chinese Buddhist sculpture], Tokyo, 1995, vol. 2, pl. 534b. From these three figures, it can be assumed that the present sculpture also comes from the Xi’an region. Furthermore, the discovery of these rare marble figures near the Northern Zhou capital of Chang’an, modern day Xi’an, appears to support the notion that marble was reserved for imperial commissions.

The annexation in 553 of Sichuan by China’s northwest (then ruled by the Western Wei dynasty) is essential in understanding the formation of Northern Zhou bodhisattva images. The Northern Zhou style is marked by lavish surface decoration, stemmed from the aesthetic of the northwest and was transmitted from India, forging deep roots in Sichuanese Buddhist art. As seen on the present carving, figures of this period were heavily adorned with necklaces and ornate crowns, thus accentuating their sense of mass.

While further aspects of Northern Zhou carving, such as the columnar body surmounted by a square head with broad nose and lips, remain, the characteristic stockiness has been replaced by a refined lengthening of the silhouette which is typical of Sui dynasty figures. This is evident in the slender waist, emphasized by the sash that is draped over the shoulders and meets at the front and back with a clasp, and the tassel hanging from the center of the necklace. It is interesting to note, however, that the hand retains the archaistic heaviness of earlier carvings.

The figure holds a 'pure water bottle' in the left and, the missing right hand would probably have held a willow branch – attributes that identify the subject as Guanyin. Compare a smaller limestone carving, inscribed and dated to the third year of Baoding (corresponding to 563), also holding a vase in its left hand, published in Matsubara Saburō, ibid., pl. 350a and b, together with an undated figure, pl. 350c. The style of carving of this figure is comparable with much larger bodhisattva figures elaborately fashioned from limestone, also attributed to the late Northern Zhou to early Sui dynasty; for example see one from the Arthur M. Sackler Collection, now in the collection of Columbia University, New York, coll. no. S3342; another in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, published in Denise Patry Leidy and Donna Strahan, Wisdom Embodied. Chinese Buddhist and Daoist Sculpture in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2010, p. 173, pl. A16; and a third, in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis, published in Hai-wai yi-chen / Chinese Art in Overseas Collections. Buddhist Sculpture, Taipei, 1986, pl. 60.

Examples of related Sui dynasty marble carvings include a figure, excavated in 1979 from Hongxing cun, Wuzhangyuan town, Qishan, Shaanxi Province, and now preserved in the Qishan Museum, Qishan, illustrated in Wang Wenyao & Fu Meilin, ‘Suidai hanbaiyu zaoxiang/White Jade Statue of Sui Dynasty’, Shoucang [Collections], 2010, vol. 12, p. 67, pl. 4; and another, in the Shaanxi Museum, published in Matsubara Saburō, op. cit., pl. 534b.

Lot 6. A white marble inscribed triad group, Northern Qi dynasty, dated Tianbao tenth year, corresponding to 559. Height 14 in., 36 cm. Estimate: 300,000 — 500,000 USD. © Sotheby's.

the central Buddhist deity seated in the 'pensive pose' on a throne with the proper right leg crossed over the left knee, the right hand and index finger raised to the face in a gesture of deep contemplation, the head crowned, with long sashes hanging over the shoulders and the body dressed in long robes cascading in rounded folds over the legs, the throne backed by a circular mandorla and flanked by two attendant bodhisattvas standing serenely in prayer with smaller mandorlas and simple monk's robes, each figure supported by a tiered, stepped circular double-base underfoot, further supported by a rectangular base, all carved from a single stone, the plinth side and back inscribed with a dedicatory inscription dated to the intercalary month of the tenth year of Tianbao, corresponding to 559, the reverse of the main mandorla with traces of a polychrome painted scene including a haloed deity figure.

Provenance: Collection of Stephen Junkunc, III (d. 1978). 

Literature: Oak Park Resident Keeps Priceless Collection of Oriental Art in Bomb Shelter', Chicago Tribune, 7th September 1952, part III, p. 1.

Note: The inscription can be translated as:

On the intercalary month of the tenth year of the Tianbao reign, Bhikkhu Yuxian, Bhikkhu Daoyou respectfully made a white jade [marble] statue for His Majesty the Emperor, and also for teachers, monks, men and women; all living beings of the Dharmadhatu, with souls and conscious, together attain Buddhahood over time.

The Northern Qi dynasty (550-577) was one of the most vibrant periods in the history of Chinese art, both religious and secular, as its openness towards foreigners, their ideas, beliefs and goods immensely enriched the local cultural climate. It was within this cosmopolitan climate that Buddhist sculpture experienced perhaps its most glorious moment. While in the Northern Wei dynasty (386-534), manners of depiction were adapted from traditional South and Central Asian prototypes, in the Northern Qi they had matured and developed into distinctive native styles. However they still emanate the seriousness of strong religious beliefs, which were rooted in the political instability of the mid-sixth century, and had not yet moved towards the pleasant and more decorative imagery of the Tang dynasty (618-907).

The present stele is carved in the simplified style of carving in white marble found in Quyang, Hebei province, and is particularly notable for the sensitively carved face of the main figure. It features the region’s characteristic overall shallow relief treatment, with only the hands protruding in higher relief. The smaller attendant monks are carved in shallower relief and with even more restraint in detailing, creating a sense of harmony and veneration. The Palace Museum, Beijing, holds 251 pieces of similarly carved sculpture from Xiude Temple in Quyang which was excavated in 1953-54, of which a larger related figure seated in a pensive pose, inscribed and dated to the second year of Tianbao (corresponding to 551), is illustrated in Feng Hejun and Da Weijia, ‘Si.Tan. Hebei quyang xiudesi yizhi fojiao zaoxiang kaogu faxian’, Forbidden City, 2017 (5), p. 117. Of these Xiude Temple figures, more than 100 are inscribed with Northern Qi reign names.

Further related carvings of a central pensive figure flanked by attendants include one, in the Hamamatsu City Museum of Art, Hamamatsu, inscribed and dated to the eighth year of Tianbao (corresponding to 557), illustrated in Matsubara Saburō, Chūgoku Bukkyō chōkoku shiron [Historical survey of Chinese Buddhist sculpture], Tokyo, 1995, vol. 2, pl. 396, together with two further examples, but more modestly carved, pls 429 a and b.

The pose of the central figure, seated with one leg down  and the other crossed with the foot resting on the other knee, is known as the ‘pensive pose’ and is one of the most iconic Buddhist images of the period. Unless specifically named in inscriptions, the identity of figures seated in this particular pose has been the subject of debate and has traditionally been recognized as either Prince Siddhartha (later the Buddha Shakyamuni) or the bodhisattva Maitreya. While in the fourth and fifth centuries this pose was indeed used to represent the former, after 550 it was increasingly used in conjunction with Maitreya worship (see the catalogue to the exhibition China: Dawn of a Golden Age, 200-750 AD, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2004, p. 266)The pose of the central figure, seated with one leg down  and the other crossed with the foot resting on the other knee, is known as the ‘pensive pose’ and is one of the most iconic Buddhist images of the period. Unless specifically named in inscriptions, the identity of figures seated in this particular pose has been the subject of debate and has traditionally been recognized as either Prince Siddhartha (later the Buddha Shakyamuni) or the bodhisattva Maitreya. While in the fourth and fifth centuries this pose was indeed used to represent the former, after 550 it was increasingly used in conjunction with Maitreya worship (see the catalogue to the exhibition China: Dawn of a Golden Age, 200-750 AD, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2004, p. 266). 

Lot 14. A large and rare brown conglomerate limestone head of a luohan, Song-Early Ming dynasty. Height of head 16 1/4  in., 41.3 cm. Estimate: 150,000-250,000 USD. © Sotheby's.

expressively carved, the full rounded head with furrowed brows and finely articulated eyebrows beneath a heavily lined forehead, the deeply-lidded wrinkled eyes peering out above a softly rounded nose and a prominent chin, flanked by long pendulous earlobes, with short hairs incised to the crown and chin, the mottled stone of a variegated brown and orange tone, stone stand (2).

Provenance: Collection of American Consul General Angus Ward (1893-1969), acquired in China in 1931. 
Richard Ravenal, Asian Gallery, New York, 20th January 1969.
Collection of Stephen Junkunc, III (d. 1978).  

Note: Sensitively modeled with meticulous attention to detail which successfully captures the luohan's expressive countenance, this superbly carved head is striking for both its large size and vivid realism. By skilfully carving the head in the round, intricate and naturalistic detailing of the gentle curvature of the skull is captured, which is further articulated with fluid lines incised on the crown. The crisply delineated wrinkles on the forehead and around the eyes and mouth, as well as the protruding forehead and facial folds, not only indicate his old age and wisdom but also add another layer of three-dimensionality. Furthermore, a powerful and meditative aura is imparted through the gently downcast pupils within the deep-lidded eyes. Together with the restrained smile which contributes to the benevolent expression, it is an outstanding representation of a luohan.

Luohan, or arhats, were close personal disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha. Although they attained Buddhahood during the course of their lives, they delayed entering Nirvana and remained on earth to protect the Buddhist dharma and to aid others in seeking enlightenment according to the instruction of the Buddha. Invested with extraordinary spiritual power, they are believed to possess perfect wisdom and insight of all existence while being freed from the bonds of desires. Luohan figures became increasingly popular from the Song dynasty (960-1279). Li Song in 'From the Northern Song to the Qing', Chinese Sculpture, New Haven, 2006, pp. 389, suggests that during the Song dynasty, various Buddhist schools were eager to trace their lineages to Shakyamuni; thus luohan, with their direct connections to the Historical Buddha, became the ultimate iconographic bridge to the Indian founders of Buddhism. Also with the growing patronage of Buddhist iconography in exchange for spiritual merit, luohan figures of imposing size and realistic physiognomy were increasingly produced in various mediums, such as ceramic, stucco and stone. They would have been displayed in groups of sixteen, eighteen or even five hundred in temples and caves to encourage devotees to reach a state of deep meditation.

Lot 153. A Longquan celadon dish, Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279); 6 1/4in (15.8cm) diameter. Estimate US$ 3,000 - 5,000 (€ 2,600 - 4,300). © Bonhams 2001-2018

Smoothly molded with a circular recessed floor and shallow, curving well in contrast to the lotus petals in relief on the exterior extending outward from a wedged foot ring and recessed base, a lustrous blue-green glaze of fairly even hue covering all surfaces except the cinnamon-burnt foot pad.  

Note: The color, shape and lotus petal decoration on this dish compare with an underdish to a covered tea bowl, among the 1,200 pieces excavated in 1991 from the Jinyucun ceramic hoard in Suining County, Sichuan: see Zhu Boqian, Longquan Yao Qingci, 1998, No. 139, pl. 168.

Lot 154. A Longquan celadon barbed rim dish, Ming dynasty (1368-1644); 13 7/8in (35.3cm) diameter. Estimate US$ 3,000 - 5,000 (€ 2,600 - 4,300). © Bonhams 2001-2018

The flared fluted sides rising from a short tapered foot ring to a flange with a barbed rim, the center decorated with a molded floral spray, surrounded by freely incised foliate scrolls on the cavetto, covered overall in a sea-green glaze except for an orange-burnt ring on the foot.  

Note: The color, shape and lotus petal decoration on this dish compare with an underdish to a covered tea bowl, among the 1,200 pieces excavated in 1991 from the Jinyucun ceramic hoard in Suining County, Sichuan: see Zhu Boqian, Longquan Yao Qingci, 1998, No. 139, pl. 168.

Bonhams. CHINESE WORKS OF ART AND PAINTINGS, 10 Sep 2018, 10:00 EDT, NEW YORK

Lot 155. A Longquan celadon dish, Ming dynasty (1368-1644); 13 5/8in (34.5cm) diameter. Estimate US$ 2,000 - 3,000 (€ 1,700 - 2,600). © Bonhams 2001-2018

The shallow rounded sides rising from a recessed foot to a broad lipped flange, the interior molded with a floral medallion encircled by shallow ribs encircling the well, all covered with a lustrous sea-green glaze except for a burnt orange circle on the foot.

Bonhams. CHINESE WORKS OF ART AND PAINTINGS, 10 Sep 2018, 10:00 EDT, NEW YORK

Lot 243. A carved 'Longquan' celadon-glazed 'Peony' guan and cover, Ming dynasty, early 15th century. Height 12 1/2  in., 30.5 cm. Estimate 50,000 — 70,000 USD. © Sotheby's

sturdily potted, of wide baluster form swelling generously from a short, slightly tapered foot, the lobed sides freely incised with eight leafing peony blossoms, all above a wide band of stiff upright-leaf lappets, the domed cover with similar fluted and carved decoration encircling the low conical knop, a flowerhead medallion impressed on the underside, covered overall with a thick even glaze of sea-green color, the unctuous bubble-suffused glaze pooling to a deeper green in the recesses, stopping short of the unglazed foot, revealing the pale gray body burnt reddish-orange in the firing (2)

Provenance: Collection of Edmund Odon Fisher, Esq.
Sotheby's London, 26th June 1973, lot 213.
Sotheby's Hong Kong, 21st May 1979, lot 32.
Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Chia.
Sotheby's Hong Kong, 5th November 1996, lot 651.

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 12 sept. 2018, 10:30 AM

Lot 245. A 'Longquan' celadon-glazed garden seat, zuodun, Ming dynasty, 14th-15th century. Height 14 1/2  in., 36.9 cm. Estimate 25,000 — 35,000 USD. © Sotheby's

of tapering barrel form, the sides boldly carved with four reserves, each enclosing a flowering peony plant growing from leafy scrolling stems on a combed ground, separated vertically by curved bands of diaper pattern, set between two rows of spring-molded florets and further bands of freely incised foliate meander, the slightly domed top with a trellis pattern in imitation of a caned seat, covered overall in a pale sea-green glaze with broad foot ring unglazed and burnt reddish-brown.

Provenance: Sotheby's New York, 11th May 1978, lot 168.
Sotheby's Hong Kong, 28th November 1979, lot 64.
Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Chia.
Sotheby's Hong Kong, 5th November 1996, lot 649.

Literature: Julian Thompson, 'Chinese Celadons', Arts of Asia, November-December 1993, p. 72, fig. 21 left.

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 12 sept. 2018, 10:30 AM

Lot 248. A rare 'Longquan' celadon-glazed jardinière stand, Ming dynasty (1368-1644). Diameter 10 3/8  in., 26.4 cm. Estimate 15,000 — 25,000 USD. © Sotheby's

sturdily potted and carved in openwork, the open circular footring supporting rounded sides rising to an angled neck and a flat everted rim, the sides cut-away with five T-shaped apertures with barbed edges, the remaining body forming leaf-shaped vertical supports each carved with a leafing floral spray, the neck pierced with two cloud-form apertures and three circular ones, the rim incised with simplified classic scroll, covered allover with an unctuous seagreen glaze save for a ring under the base burnt orange during firing, associated metal liner and support, two Japanese wood boxes (7).

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 12 sept. 2018, 10:30 AM

Lot 249. A carved 'Longquan' celadon-glazed dish, Ming dynasty, 15th century. Diameter 7 3/4  in., 19.5 cm. Estimate 20,000 — 30,000 USD. © Sotheby's

the shallow rounded sides rising from a short tapered foot to a flared rim, finely carved to the center with a single stylized lotus spray, the well with a border of lotus blooms between a narrow band of classic floral scroll, further lotus blooms to the exterior above a keyfret band at the foot, covered overall with an olive-green glaze, an unglazed ring to the base burnt orange in the firing.

Provenance: Collection of John R. Menke (1919-2009). 
Sotheby's New York, 18-19 March 2014, lot 220.

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 12 sept. 2018, 10:30 AM

Lot 366. A 'Ge'-type tripod censer, Ming dynasty (1368-1644). Width 4 in., 10.3 cm. Estimate 5,000 — 7,000 USD. © Sotheby's

the body divided into three lobes and raised on sharply tapered feet, rising to a waisted neck and lipped rim supporting two upright loop handles, applied overall with an unctuous soft gray glaze suffused with a dense network of black crackling and golden threads. 

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 12 sept. 2018, 10:30 AM

Lot 139. A fine square-cut Fancy Pink diamond, VS1 clarity, weighing 5.03 carats. Estimate £ 600,000 - 800,000 (€ 670,000 - 890,000). © Bonhams 2001-2018

LONDON. - An exceedingly rare and exceptionally beautiful fine Fancy Pink diamond weighing 5.03 carats will headline Bonhams London Fine Jewellery sale this September (26th September).

The square-cut Fancy Pink diamond, VS1 clarity, is estimated at £600,000-800,000.

Emily Barber, Director of Jewellery at Bonhams UK, said: "This pink diamond, offered at auction for the first time, possesses an exceptional combination of characteristics. It is extremely unusual to find a pure pink diamond, of even saturation, with no secondary component colours, weighing over 5.00 carats. This diamond's significant size and elegant, unmodified square cut, coupled with its high clarity grade distinguishes it further. It is of extraordinary beauty."

Lot 139. A fine square-cut Fancy Pink diamond, VS1 clarity, weighing 5.03 carats. Estimate £ 600,000 - 800,000 (€ 670,000 - 890,000). © Bonhams 2001-2018

This pink diamond, offered at auction for the first time, weighs 5.03 carats and possesses an exceptional combination of characteristics. The Gemological Institute of America has graded it as Fancy Pink colour and VS1 clarity. It is extremely unusual to find a pure pink diamond, of even saturation, with no secondary modifying component colours, weighing over 5.00 carats. The beauty of the diamond's colour and its high clarity grade is further offset by its elegant square cut, with a minimum of facets. It is of extraordinary beauty and a gift of nature.

Pink diamonds are exceedingly rare in nature. It is estimated that only one in 10,000 gem quality diamonds produced in the world show noticeable colour and of these a similarly small percentage are pink, the majority under 2.00 carats in size. How they occur is romantically enigmatic; unlike most other coloured diamonds, their colour is caused not by trace elements in their chemical composition but by a lucky miracle of nature, a distortion within their atomic lattice caused by the pressure exerted on them during their formation. 

Throughout millennia of diamond mining, pink diamonds have been unearthed only occasionally, historically in India and later in Brazil, Indonesia and South Africa. The best specimens have been kept as treasures in the collections of royalty, rulers and museums, sought after and celebrated for their elusive beauty. Traditionally considered a gemmological curiosity, the last 50 years have seen a great shift in perception.  

In the late 1970s pink diamond-bearing lamproite rock was discovered at the Argyle mine in East Kimberley, Western Australia producing a limited but steady number of small fine quality pink and red diamonds each year. The mine quickly became recognised as the only consistent source in the world. This small but regular supply, alongside informative marketing campaigns, piqued industry and public interest in pink diamonds and the rarity of coloured diamonds. The last few decades have seen the value of fine coloured diamonds increase exponentially. With the Argyle mine forecast to cease operations by 2020, the future of pink diamond mining is uncertain as there are no other known mines with such a consistent production; pink diamonds may become increasingly rare. 

Staying with coloured diamonds, Bonhams will also be offering A Fancy-Coloured Diamond Three-Stone ring, circa 1910, for sale. The central old brilliant-cut Fancy Blue diamond, weighing 0.95 carat, is set between Fancy Yellow-Orange marquise-cut diamonds, weighing 0.51 and 0.56 carats, and is estimated at £80,000-120,000.

Lot 138. A fancy-coloured diamond three-stone ring, circa 1910. The central old brilliant-cut Fancy Blue diamond, weighing 0.95 carat, between a marquise-cut Fancy Deep Yellowish Orange diamond, weighing 0.51 carat and a Fancy Deep Yellow-Orange diamond, weighing 0.56 carat. Estimate £80,000 - 120,000 -€ 89,000 - 130,000). © Bonhams 2001-2018

A selection of bracelets, necklaces, brooches and rings from some of the biggest names in jewellery including Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari and Chopard will also go under the hammer in the sale. Highlights include: 

Lot 128. A diamond 'Volutes' bracelet by Van Cleef & Arpels, circa 1954. Estimate £ 110,000 - 150,000 (€ 120,000 - 170,000). © Bonhams 2001-2018

Note: See Raulet, Sylvie, "Van Cleef & Arpels", Paris, 1986, page 220 for a similar "Volutes" bracelet.

Lot 134. An Art Deco Diamond Rivière by Cartier, circa 1930. Estimate £ 200,000 - 300,000 (€ 220,000 - 330,000). © Bonhams 2001-2018

Accompanied by a report from GIA stating that the diamond weighing 2.28 carats is E colour, VS1 clarity, Type Ia. Report number 2195291872, dated 19 April 2018.

Accompanied by a report from GIA stating that the diamond weighing 2.20 carats is F colour, VS1 clarity, Type Ia. Report number 2195291868, dated 19 April 2018. 

Accompanied by a report from GIA stating that the diamond weighing 2.10 carats is E colour, VS2 clarity, Type Ia. Report number 2195291894, dated 18 April 2018. 

Accompanied by a report from GIA stating that the diamond weighing 1.99 carats is G colour, VS1 clarity, Type Ia. Report number 2191291890, dated 19 April 2018. 

Jewels formerly in the collections of Sir Alfred Chester Beatty and Lady Powerscourt

Two lots which represent the Art Deco vogue for jewels in "exotic" taste, that Cartier, and other great jewellery houses of the period captured so successfully, will be offered in the sale. Dated circa 1920, the jewels hailed from the collections of one of the most significant art collectors of the 20th century, Sir Alfred Chester Beatty, and his esteemed friend, the poet and writer Lady Powerscourt.

The first lot, An Art Deco Nephrite, Onyx and Diamond Pendant by Cartier is estimated at £20,000-30,000. The rectangular nephrite plaque is carved with numerous motifs that signify blessings and abundant joy. Its reverse is engraved with Chinese characters literally meaning 'blessings come from blessings'. It is suspended from an articulated circular plaque decorated with undulating lines of single-cut diamonds and calibré-cut onyx, mounted in platinum.

Lot 47. An Art Deco Nephrite, Onyx and Diamond Pendant by Cartier. Estimate £20,000 - 30,000 (€ 22,000 - 33,000). © Bonhams 2001-2018

 The rectangular 'mutton fat' nephrite plaque carved with auspicious motifs, including a double fish, a 'ruyi' and a knot, the reverse engraved with Chinese characters literally meaning 'blessings come from blessings', suspended from an articulated circular plaque decorated with undulating lines of single-cut diamonds and calibré-cut onyx, mounted in platinum, signed Cartier Paris, workshop mark for Renault, French assay marks, length 7.3cm

Provenance: Sir Alfred Chester Beatty
Sheila Wingfield, Lady Powerscourt
Descent to the current owner.

The Chinese jade plaque, probably 19th century, is decorated with numerous motifs that signify blessings and abundant joy. The double fish, symbolising water, heralds money and the 'ruyi' symbolises power and good fortune. The ruyi is topped by a lingzhi mushroom that brings healing, luck, prosperity and the granting of wishes. The knot points to all being completed. The Chinese characters meaning "blessings come from blessings" act as a reminder to sow seeds of goodness for the future and for future generations. It also bears an artist signature for Lu Zigang, a celebrated and widely imitated jade carver of the late Ming period, whose name was often applied to jade carvings of later date.

Cartier borrowed liberally from other cultures for their designs; as early as 1913, the firm showcased fifty new jewelled creations at their New York premises, which they described as "from the Hindoo, Persian, Arab, Russian and Chinese". Many of the jewels incorporated genuine oriental elements, included carved white jade, mounted in Cartier settings. Jade would go on to be a fashionable material for use in Art Deco jewellery throughout the 1920s.

Photograph of Chester Beatty, c. 1911. CBL Archives: Ac 2000.2. © The Trustees of the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin.

Sir Alfred Chester Beatty (1875-1968) was a wealthy mining engineer, philanthropist and one of the most significant art collectors of the 20th century.

He was born in 1875 into a middle-class New York family and after graduating as a mining engineer from Columbia University in 1898, he headed west to Denver, Colorado, where he found work as a 'mucker', clearing away rock and soil from mine tunnels. Promotions followed and by 1908 he had become one of America's leading mining engineers, consulting on 90% of the world's mines, and living with his first wife, Ninette, and their two children in New York's fashionable East Side. 

After Ninette's premature death in 1911, Beatty decided to move to London with his two children and in 1912, he purchased Baroda House in Kensington Palace Gardens. The following year, he married his second wife, Edith Dunn, also from New York, who was hailed as "one of the ten most beautiful women in America" and who was a patron of Parisian fashion and decorative art. 

Portrait of Edith Beatty (1886–1952). By Philip de László (1869–1937). Dated 19 October 1916, England. CBL Wx 85. © The Trustees of the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin.

The couple travelled extensively building an impressive and diverse collection of books, manuscripts, paintings, furniture, snuff bottles, netsuke, amulets and objets d'art, including masterpieces from Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa. Beatty employed a full-time librarian and several academic advisors to appraise items he wished to purchase for his collection and he became an important benefactor of the British Museum. 

During World War Two, as informal advisor and friend to Winston Churchill, Beatty made key contributions to the Allied war effort, for which he later received a knighthood. However, Beatty became increasingly frustrated with Post-War Britain's politics and in 1950, retired to Ireland, from where both his paternal grandparents had been born at the end of the 18th Century. He took with him his extensive collection of works of art, much to the consternation of various British institutions. He was increasingly preoccupied with safeguarding his collection, in its entirety, for the future and in 1953, set up a purpose-built library in Dublin, initially for research, but then open to the public. Upon his death in 1968 his priceless collection was bequeathed to a trust for the benefit of the people of Ireland. Having become Ireland's first honorary citizen, Beatty was granted a State funeral and was buried at Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin. 

Photograph of Lady Powerscourt, circa 1930. © Private Collection

Sheila Wingfield, Lady Powerscourt (1906-1992), was a poet and a writer. Wealthy and beautiful, she was largely self-taught and fought various obstacles during her lifetime to gain recognition for her work, despite admiration from contemporary writers such as W.B Yeats, Sir John Betjeman and T.S Eliot. Her best-known work, considered her masterpiece, is her 2000-line poem, Beat Drum, Beat Heart (1946), written about World War II, in which her husband served and was captured by the Germans in North Africa.

Lady Powerscourt met Sir Alfred Chester Beatty by chance in 1952, the same year Beatty's second wife, Edith Dunn, died. The two quickly struck up a friendship based on mutual esteem. Beatty held the highest respect for Lady Powerscourt's knowledge, judgement and understanding of his collection, which she would ultimately help him catalogue.

The two lots offered here, were gifts to Lady Powerscourt from Sir Alfred Chester Beatty from his personal collection. Since they were gifted in the 1950s and the jewels themselves date from the 1920s, it is possible they were acquired during his travels with his second wife Edith.

Not only do these two lots represent the Art Deco vogue for jewels in "exotic" taste, that Cartier, and other great jewellery houses of the period, so excelled in creating but these jewels also offer a glimpse into the history of the renowned Chester Beatty Collection and the characters involved with it. 

The second lot, An Art Deco Hardstone Seal, Gem-Set and Enamel Jewel, is French in origin, dated circa 1925, and was originally a shoulder ornament and then converted to a bracelet. Composed of five chalcedony seals of various colours, each engraved with a Qur'anic script and framed by black enamel, these are connected by black enamel and rose-cut diamond links with emerald and ruby bead highlights. It has a pre-sale estimate of £40,000-60,000.

Lot 48. An Art Deco hardstone seal, gem-set and enamel jewel, French, circa 1925. Estimate £40,000 - 60,000 (€ 45,000 - 67,000). © Bonhams 2001-2018

Provenance: Sir Alfred Chester Beatty
Sheila Wingfield, Lady Powerscourt
Descent to the current owner.

The script in the central seal is from Qu'ran chapter II (Al-Baqarah), verse 255 in the borders, with the names of God in the centre, with the Shahada at the sides. The two carnelian seals bear identical inscriptions: the Shahadah in the centre and Qu'ran Chapter II (Al-Baqarah), verse 255, in the borders. The two outer seals bear the names God, Muhammad, Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn, the borders with Qu'ran, Chapter CXII (al-Ikhlas) and the middle band with Qu'ran, chapter CXIV (al-Nas).

During the early 20th century various exhibitions of Islamic art in Paris stimulated contemporary taste for exoticism in fashionable society. Parisian society hostesses held a series of Persian costume balls in 1912-13 and Cartier began offering jewels in "arabe" taste from c.1913 until the 1930s. Although unsigned, in terms of design and quality of manufacture, this jewel is comparable to a Cartier creation from this period; the carved seals or amulets dating from the 19th century or early 20th century, have been offset by Persian-inspired decorative mounts.

Emily Barber said: "These pieces offer a glimpse into the history of Chester Beatty and his priceless art collection. As a wealthy mining engineer and philanthropist, he built an impressive and diverse collection of works of art and masterpieces from Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa and employed a full-time librarian and several academic advisors to appraise items he wished to purchase.

"It is thought that the two jewels offered here were gifts to Lady Powerscourt from Sir Chester Beatty from his personal collection. Since they would have been gifted in the 1950s and the jewels themselves date from the 1920s, it is possible they were acquired during his travels with his second wife Edith."

Churchill family tiara set to sparkle at sale

 Long synonymous with royal splendour and a tacit sign of status and wealth, in recent years there has been a renewed appreciation for tiaras and Bonhams is delighted to offer two magnificent examples in its sale.

The first, A Belle Époque Diamond 'Meander' Tiara, was designed by Spanish royal jeweller Ansorena and owned by Spanish noblewoman Esperanza Chávarri Aldecoa, Countess of Villagonzalo, wife of Fernando Maldonado Salabert, 8th Count of Villagonzalo. Dated circa 1900, it is estimated at £80,000-120,000 and has previously been exhibited at the National Museum of Decorative Arts, Madrid in 1995. The "garland style" tiara is designed as a double diadem that can be detached to form two separate tiaras, one of which designed to be further converted to form a choker.

 Lot 131. A Belle Époque diamond 'Meander' tiara, by Ansorena, circa 1900. Estimate £ 80,000 - 120,000 (€ 89,000 - 130,000). © Bonhams 2001-2018

131 (the upper band as a single tiara)

131 (the lower band as a tiara)

131 (the lower band as a choker).

Provenance: Esperanza Chávarri Aldecoa, Condesa de Villagonzalo (1893-1982)
Thence by descent.

Exhibited: National Museum of Decorative Arts, Madrid, 1995.

Literature: Luna, Juan J, Martín Ansorena, Fernando A & Arbeteta, Letizia, 'Ansorena 150 Anos', Madrid, 1995, No 4 in the catalogue.

The Belle Époque, literally "beautiful era", was a golden age of relative peace and prosperity in the West, stretching from the late 19th century until the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. During this time, the upper echelons of society enjoyed a glamorous social life on an opulent and lavish scale. It was not only fashionable for women to festoon themselves like queens, but protocol to wear certain jewels and decorations when attending formal festivities. Thus the tiara, the most majestic of accessories, was a symbol of rank, worn by European royalty and nobility at all court and state occasions and later, an essential item in an aristocratic society lady's wardrobe, worn to private dinners, balls and the opera. The tiara was also a symbol of betrothal and a bride would receive a tiara – sometimes more than one - as a wedding gift to wear during the ceremony and later when she took her place in society as a married woman. 

This "garland style" tiara, by Spanish royal jeweller, Ansorena, is designed as a double diadem that may be detached to form two separate tiaras, one of which is designed to be further converted to form a choker. It is of impeccable workmanship and the elegant Louis XVI design of diamond wreaths and flowers has a lightness and lace-like quality made possible by the technical freedom and innovation of working in platinum; a metal that is as light as it is strong. Jewellers only began to understand how truly to exploit platinum from around 1900, so it is particularly interesting that this tiara is noted in Ansorena's archives as being conceived as early as 1890. 

The tiara was owned by Spanish noblewoman Esperanza Chávarri Aldecoa, Countess of Villagonzalo, wife of Fernando Maldonado Salabert, 8th Count of Villagonzalo. The photograph, circa 1920, shows the Countess in her gala costume at the Royal Palace in Madrid wearing the tiara modishly low over her brow in the manner of an Art Deco bandeau, with a diamond tassel (subsequently lost) at its centre. It was not unusual for valuable tiaras to be adapted as fashions changed. The Countess was a lady-in-waiting of Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg, Queen Consort of King Alfonso XIII of Spain. Queen Victoria Eugenie also owned splendid jewels by Ansorena; her famous diamond fleur-de-lys tiara is today one of the central pieces in the Spanish Crown Jewels.

Esperanza Chávarri Aldecoa, Condesa de Villagonzalo, in gala costume, Madrid, circa 1920. © Family Archive.

Emily Barber comments: "This tiara is of impeccable workmanship and the elegant Louis XVI design of diamond wreaths and flowers has a lightness and lace-like quality made possible by the technical freedom and innovation of working in platinum, a metal that is as light as it is strong. Jewellers only began to understand how truly to exploit platinum from around 1900, so it is particularly interesting that this tiara is noted in Ansorena's archives as being conceived as early as 1890."

The second tiara to feature in the sale is An Art Deco diamond tiara/necklace/brooch combination by Hennell, estimated at £40,000-60,000. Dated circa 1930, it belonged to Viscountess Churchill (1895-1972), the second wife of the 1st Viscount Churchill, and was worn by Viscountess Churchill at the 1937 coronation.

Lot 54. An Art Deco diamond tiara-necklace-brooch combination with green paste and diamond clip brooches, by Hennell, circa 1930. Estimate £40,000 - 60,000(€ 45,000 - 67,000). © Bonhams 2001-2018

Provenance: Viscountess Churchill (1895-1972)
Descent to the current owner.

Viscountess Churchill in coronation robes wearing the tiara in 1937. © Family Archive.

Born Christine McRae Sinclair, Viscountess Churchill married Victor Albert Spencer, 1st Viscount Churchill in 1927, as his second wife. The Viscount was a distinguished courtier whose career spanned the late Victorian and Edwardian eras and was a second cousin of Sir Winston Churchill. 

During the first part of the 20th century, aristocratic society enjoyed a glamorous social life on a luxurious and lavish scale. It was not only fashionable for women to festoon themselves like queens, but protocol to wear certain jewels and decorations when attending formal festivities. The tiara, the most majestic of accessories and the ultimate symbol of rank, was worn by royalty and nobility at all glittering court and state occasions in Britain and the vice-regal courts of India and Ireland. It also became fashionable for society ladies to wear tiaras to private dinners, balls and to the opera. 

At the coronation of King Edward VII in 1902, tiaras, along with coronets, were permitted to be worn for the first time, in a move that traditional courtier, Sir Almeric Fitzroy, condemned as "the revolt of the Peeresses against wearing no diamonds.. the dignified uniformity of immemorial practice has been sacrificed to a heedless passion for indiscriminate ornament." The Peeresses similarly revolted at wearing no diamonds at the State Opening of Parliament the same year, further establishing the tiara as an obligatory accessory for aristocratic public life.  

The coronation of George VI and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon as King and Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth and as Emperor and Empress of India at Westminster Abbey on 12 May 1937, was a designed as a triumphant display of British pageantry and Imperialism and was one of the most costly public spectacles ever staged. Guests from across the Empire and around the world were invited, including Indian princes, African royalty and representatives and contingents from Britain's Dominions and colonies. The procession from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace was six miles long. Vogue pronounced "from the moment we watched those Duchesses, proud as galleons in full sail moving majestically with their tiaras and trains up one of those double staircases, we knew the social clock had been put back thirty years." The diarist Sir Henry "Chips" Cannon described the "blazing light" of the Peeresses' diamonds and how the north transept of Westminster Abbey was a "vitrine of jewels and bobbing tiaras." 

This tiara, made by Hennell, British jeweller par excellence, in the geometric Art Deco style, is also a "tranformable jewel" and may be worn in a variety of ways: tiara, necklace, pair of bracelets and various clips and brooches. The accompanying green paste and diamond brooches also double up as an interchangeable centrepiece for either the tiara or the necklace; presumably the green pastes replace valuable gems that were previously sold. The tiara was worn by Viscountess Churchill at the 1937 coronation and the photograph shows her wearing it in her peeress's robes designed by Norman Hartnell and holding her coronet. It is not only a fine example of the jeweller's art but a great survivor from an age of aristocratic glamour.

Hennell was regarded as the British jeweller by the 20th century. Their clients, the crème de la crème of society, included members of the British aristocracy and landed gentry, Indian maharajas, American billionaires and European royalty. During the Art Deco period Hennell was known for offering its discerning clientele jewels of superlative quality, rivalling the offerings of the best French houses.

Emily Barber comments: "It is extremely rare to have not one but two tiaras with such interesting provenances. They are not only fine examples of the respective jeweller's art but great survivors from an age of aristocratic glamour."

Rare Raymond Templier bracelet set to attract interest from collectors

Raymond Templier was one of the great jewellers of the Art Deco period but very few jewels by him appear at auction so Bonhams is expecting this next lot to attract a lot of interest during its previews in New York, Geneva and London next month. Estimated at £50,000-70,000, the Art Deco Diamond and Platinum Bracelet by Raymond Templier, made in 1932, is characteristic of Templier's ultra-modern geometric style.

 Lot 132. An Art Deco diamond and platinum bracelet, by Raymond Templier, 1932. Estimate £50,000 - 70,000 (€ 56,000 - 78,000). © Bonhams 2001-2018

Illustrated: L. Mouillefarine and V. Ristelhueber, 'Raymond Templier: Le bijou moderne', Editions Norma, Paris, 2005, page 149. A copy of this book accompanies the lot.

Raymond Templier (1891-1968) was one of the great jewellers of the Art Deco period whose creative vision pushed boundaries and drove change in jewellery design. Often referred to as the "architect of the jewel", Templier embodied the modernist principals of the Art Deco aesthetic by creating jewels along sleek, geometric lines. He was one of the first jewellers to be inspired directly by city life and spoke of seeing ideas for jewellery everywhere: "as I walk the streets..the wheels, the cars." He was also deeply involved in the contemporary art scene; in 1930, he founded the Union des Artistes Modernes along with other designers, architects and jewellers Jean Fouquet and Gerard Sandoz, all wishing to break from established tradition. In 1932, the critic Paul Sentenac likened him to celebrated avant garde artists of the age including poet Paul Valéry, designer and architect Le Corbusier and founder of Cubism, Picasso. 

Templier's minimalist jewels, meticulously created with "mathematical rhythm", were odes to modern technology featuring everything from architectural elements to components of machinery. He viewed jewellery with the eyes of a sculptor or architect; he believed jewels should be three-dimensional, tangible objects and not just flat, decorated surfaces. His designs show restrained simplicity, celebrating form and texture over superfluous detail, often playing with opposites such as curved and straight lines, hollow and voluminous forms and matt and brilliant surfaces. The designs perfectly complemented the new fashions of the day whereby the post-war woman, liberated from the corset, wore clothes along straight, androgynous lines. Dresses were often sleeveless and bracelets and cuffs were a popular way to 'dress' the arms; often multiple bracelets were worn at once. 

Lot 158. A Dehua figure of Guanyin and attendants, 17th century; 9 1/4in (23.5cm) high. Estimate US$ 6,000 - 8,000 (€ 5,200 - 6,900). © Bonhams 2001-2018

The bodhisattva seated in dhyanasana on a rocky plinth, hands held in dhyanamudra, dressed in long, loose robes open at the chest to reveal a beaded necklace, the meditative face framed by a tiara and cowl draped over her chignon, with Shancai and the earth god at her feet, covered in a transparent ivory glaze. 

Bonhams. CHINESE WORKS OF ART AND PAINTINGS, 10 Sep 2018, 10:00 EDT, NEW YORK

Lot 159. A Dehua figure of Guanyin and child, 17th century; 9 1/2in (24.1 cm) high. Estimate US$ 8,000 - 12,000 (€ 6,900 - 10,000). © Bonhams 2001-2018

The bodhisattva dressed in flowing robes, adorned with elaborate beaded necklace and chains, the hair swept back and arranged in two plaits over the shoulders, portrayed seated with one leg crossed on a rockery seat, cradling a seated boy hold a pearl.

Provenance: Collection of George C.C. Ho
Sotheby's, New York, 16 September 2017, lot 818 

Bonhams. CHINESE WORKS OF ART AND PAINTINGS, 10 Sep 2018, 10:00 EDT, NEW YORK

Lot 338. A Dehua figure of Guanyin, 17th-18th century. Height 16 3/8  in., 41.5 cm. Estimate  40,000 — 60,000 USD. © Sotheby's

standing barefoot on a bank of swirling clouds, the face modeled with a serene expression with downcast eyes, pendulous earlobes and an urna mark on the forehead, the hair gathered in a high chignon secured by a ruyi-head tiara, robes draped over the rounded shoulders, open at the chest to reveal a beaded lotus necklace, the hands folded under the cascading billowing robes, the back impressed with a double gourd-shaped seal mark that reads He Chaozong .

Note: Standing with robes undulating gracefully in the wind, this figure of Guanyin is notable for its size, fine modeling and delicate posture. From the Ming and Qing dynasties to the present, the Dehua kilns in Fujian have made Guanyin figures such as the present piece for both the Chinese and global market, with most domestic images produced for devotion in both public and private shrines.  

Lot 160. Two Dehua archaistic censers, 18th century; 6in (15.2cm) long, across handles. Estimate US$ 5,000 - 7,000 (€ 4,300 - 6,000. © Bonhams 2001-2018

Each made in the form of an archaistic gui with a flared rim and short pedestal foot, the sides encircled with a leiwenband between raised ribs and flanked by a pair of stylized phoenix handles, all surfaces covered with a celadon-tinged glaze except the wide foot pad.

Provenance: Collection of Victor Besso, Great Neck, New York 

Bonhams. CHINESE WORKS OF ART AND PAINTINGS, 10 Sep 2018, 10:00 EDT, NEW YORK

Lot 108. A fine white-glazed anhua-decorated 'dragon' cup, Kangxi mark and period (1662-1722). Diameter 2 1/2  in., 6.5 cm. Estimate 50,000 — 70,000 USD. © Sotheby's

finely potted, the deep rounded sides rising from a short, slightly tapered foot, incised with two five-clawed dragons striding amidst flame scrolls each in pursuit of a 'flaming pearl', covered overall in a fine, translucent rich glaze, the base with a six-character mark in underglaze blue within a double circle.

Provenance: Collection of Stephen Junkunc, III (d. 1978). 

Note: Closely related Kangxi cups have sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 28th November 1978, lot 129, and 20th May 1980, lot 90. A pair with Yongzheng marks were also sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 17th November 1975, lot 134, and included in the Exhibition of Ming and Ch'ing Porcelain from the Collection of the T.Y. Chao Family Foundation, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1978, cat. no. 55, and later sold in the same rooms, 19th May 1987, lot 280. 

Lot 135. A rare relief-carved white-glazed 'Dragon and Phoenix' vase, Qianlong seal mark and period (1736-1795). Height 10 3/4  in., 27.3 cm. Estimate 150,000 — 250,000 USD. © Sotheby's

the cylindrical body supported on a slightly splayed base and rising to a short neck and gently everted lipped rim, the body delicately carved in relief with a sinuous chilong confronting a soaring phoenix amid five swooping bats and scrolling clouds, all between a ruyi-head border at the canted shoulder, surmounted by a band of four bats encircling the neck, and a keyfret band around the foot, the base incised with a six-character seal mark.

Note: The present vase exemplifies the Qianlong emperor’s taste for archaism and innovation, and the ability of the craftsmen working in the imperial kilns in Jingdezhen to cater to his predilections. It belongs to a select group of imperial porcelain wares produced during his reign that is referred to in Chinese as ‘fang Ding yao’, or ‘in imitation of Ding ware’ after the deep opaque white of the much celebrated official Ding wares of the Song dynasty (960-1279). This vase is particularly notable for the crisply carved dragon and phoenix which have been carefully placed with luxuriant scrolling clouds to ensure the entire space is harmoniously filled. The form also references antiquity, resembling bronze vessels of the Song and Ming periods in its cylindrical form, angled shoulders and splayed foot, such as an incense tool vase, from the Water, Pine and Stone Retreat Collection, sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 8th April 2014, lot 220.  

The material used for the making of white-glazed porcelain wares of this type is distinctive. It is a Qing innovation whereby huashi replaced kaolin, allowing the vessel to be fired at a lower temperature to avoid warping of the material and to create a rich creamy-white glaze that could be used for both contemporary designs as well as making objects imitating Ding wares. Further vases belonging to this group, also incised with a six-character seal mark of Qianlong, were produced in various forms and designs; see a bottle vase decorated with a lotus pond motif, from the collections of L. Allen Lewis, J. Pierpont Morgan and Marsten J. Perry, sold at Christie’s London, 24th and 25th June 1974, lot 108, and again, 11th June 1990, lot 217; a vase of baluster form, with two deer-shaped handles and carved on the body with cranes amongst clouds, from the Estate of Dr. Joseph and Donna Lee Boggs, sold in our London rooms, 7th November 2012, lot 110; and a vase with a compressed globular body, decorated in relief with a five-clawed dragon, sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 3rd October 2017, lot 3603. Vases of this type with an impressed Qianlong mark were also produced; see one of baluster form, modeled with four handles at the shoulders and decorated with a flower scroll, published in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Monochrome Porcelain, Hong Kong, 1999, pl. 239; a pomegranate-form vase carved with a scrolling lotus and bat design, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, included in the museum's exhibition Qingdai danse you ciqi tezhan [Special exhibition of monochrome glazed porcelain of the Qing dynasty], Taipei, 1981, cat. no. 64; and a pear-shape version carved with lotus blooms, sold in our London rooms, 10th December 1991, lot 280, again at Christie’s Hong Kong, 2nd November 1999, lot 528, from the collection of Robert Chang, and a third time in our London rooms, 8th November 2017, lot 17.

The vibrant design on the present vessel is rich in symbolism. The sinuous dragon, emblem of the emperor, represents wisdom and power, whereas its harmonic counterpart, the soaring phoenix, symbol of the empress, signifies immortality and resurrection. Such symbolic union was commonly used to decorate imperial objects starting from the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), and continued to prevail in the Qing court where they were used on vessels made in various media.

Lot 138. A rare molded moon white-glazed ritual food vessel and cover (dui), Qianlong seal marks and period (1736-1795). Height 8 in., 20.4 cm. Estimate 10,000 — 15,000 USD. © Sotheby's

the spherical form modeled after a Warring States ritual food vessel, the body raised on three blade-form feet, the cover of conforming shape, both finely molded in shallow relief with borders of scrollwork, keyfret and wanzi diaper, centered with a mallow-form floret framed by scrollwork, the opaque 'moon white' glaze pooling in the recesses, each of the interiors centered with an incised six-character seal mark (2) .

Provenance: Collection of George A. Lucas (1824–1909).
Collection of Jesse G. Kaufman (1883-1976), and thence by descent

Note: Compare a related Qianlong mark and period white-glazed ritual vessel, in the form of a xing, carved with archaistic motifs and raised on three similar blade feet, sold at Christie's New York, 27th November 1991, lot 348.

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 12 sept. 2018, 10:30 AM