18TH/19TH CENTURY

Details

AN UNUSUAL LARGE BRONZE SQUARE HANDWARMER WITH RETICULATED COVER
18TH/19TH CENTURY
The warmer is of an unusually large size. The rounded shoulders are decorated with ruyi-shaped panels filled with lotus sprays and applied with two butterfly-shaped terminals attached to the two-part, arched, swing handle. The top of the domed, pierced cover, depicts a scene of Sima Guang rescuing his drowning friend from a water jar beneath a pine branch and clouds, above an openwork band of wan pattern. The base has an apocryphal Xuande mark.
11¾ in. (29.8 cm.) across

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Michael Bass

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Lot Essay

After his heroic rescue, depicted in the charming scene on this handwarmer, Sima Guang went on to become a prominent statesman and historian of the Song dynasty. The story became a popular decorative theme on Japanese Arita porcelain, also known as "The Hob in the Well." While unusual to find as the central decoration on a handwarmer, the story can be found on other Chinese works of the art Qing dynasty date, including a fine white jade 'boys' pendant, sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 27 May 2009, lot 1965.

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