Lot Essay
The large size and depiction of pine boughs against a background of rock faces on this cup are similar to that of a cup dated to the 17th century in the collection of and illustrated by Thomas Fok in Connoisseurship of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, 1999, no. 160. The carving of the pine needle clusters and the use of the pine tree, which is a symbol of longevity, to form the openwork handle are very similar between the two. As the author states, the "absence of human figures further accentuates the sense of tranquility and ease", making this cup an ideal object for contemplation by a scholar.