QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795)

Details

A CARVED ALOESWOOD ‘DRAGON AND PHOENIX’ LIBATION CUP
QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795)
The deep cup is carved from a single piece of wood, resting on three small cloud-feet. The exterior is decorated in openwork with a phoenix with finely detailed wings and tail perched on an angular scroll, accompanied by a small mythical beast and a small chilong. A ferocious chilong with sinuous body and a further small chilong clambering on to the loop handle, opposite to the phoenix head with curled plumage on the rim above the taotie mask suspending a ring handle.

6 in. (15.2 cm.) high, box

Provenance

Sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 2 December 2015, lot 3264

Special notice

Prospective purchasers are advised that several countries prohibit the importation of property containing materials from endangered species, including but not limited to coral, ivory, tortoiseshell and crocodile. Accordingly, prospective purchasers should familiarize themselves with relevant customs regulations prior to bidding if they intend to import this lot into another country.

Further details

The historical CITES paperwork for this lot is not available and it will not be possible to obtain CITES export permits to ship it to addresses outside Hong Kong post-sale. The item can only be shipped to addresses within Hong Kong or collected from our Hong Kong saleroom and office. Please contact the department for further information.

Conditions of sale

Brought to you by

Marco Almeida (安偉達) SVP, Senior International Specialist, Head of Department & Head of Private Sales

malmeida@christies.com +852 2978 6735

Lot Essay

Compare to a very similar aloeswood libation cup dated to the Qianlong period in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated in Uncanny Ingenuity and Celestial Feats: The Carvings of Ming Qing Dynasties, Taipei, pp. 119-122, no. 28 (fig. 1). The design is derived from Western Han dynasty jade cup carved with dragon and phoenix, see one in the National Palace Museum collection, illustrated in Possessing the Past: Treasures from the National Palace Museum, Taipei, New York, 1996, p.52, pl.14 (fig. 2).

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