A RARE WHITE-GLAZED ARCHAISTIC 'LIBATION' CUP

QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795)

Details

A RARE WHITE-GLAZED ARCHAISTIC 'LIBATION' CUP
QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795)
Made in imitation of archaistic rhinoceros horn cups, and of rectangular section, with a raised band of simplified taotie masks around the waist and bands of stiff leaves incised on the pedestal foot and upper body which is applied with four small chilong, the openwork handle formed by five further chilong of varying sizes climbing towards the rim, covered overall with a pale blue green-tinted white glaze
4½ in. (11.5 cm.) high

Provenance

E.T. Hall Collection, no. 150.
Chinese Monochrome Porcelains from the Collection of the late Professor E.T. Hall, C.B.E.; Christie's, London, 7 June 2004, lot 213.

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Lot Essay

Compare a cup in the Walters Collection, Baltimore, of very similar shape and design, but with the chilong handle decorated in colored enamels and possibly gilding, illustrated by S. Bushell in Oriental Ceramic Art, New York, reprint 1980, p. 213, fig. 278. Compare, also, the similar cup with puce-enameled handle, sold in our London rooms, 12 November 2002, lot 58.
This and the aforementioned cups were probably inspired by similarly decorated rhinoceros horn cups of related shape, such as the example from the collection of the late Dr. Ip Yee, illustrated by J. Chapman in The Art of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, London, 1999, p. 130, no. 135.

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