Lot Essay
It is unusual to find such a profusion of different kinds of flowers, which include chrysanthemum, nandina, and possibly lily, on a rhinoceros horn cup. One from the author's collection is illustrated by T. Fok, Connoisseurship of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, 1999, no. 91, where it is dated early 18th century. The naturalistic carving of the flowers and rocks appears to be very similar to that of the present cup. See, also, the cup in the Qing Court Collection, similarly carved with different kinds of flowers and a hovering butterfly, and dated late Ming dynasty, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum - 44 - Bamboo, Wood, Ivory and Rhinoceros Horn Carvings, Hong Kong, 2002, no. 129.